their prisoner they make great ioye therof and wyll conuey hym in to Boesme or in to Austryche or in to Xasenne and kepe hym in some castell inhabytable They are people worse than sarazins or paynyms for their excessyue couetousnesse quencheth the knowledge of honoure Lette vs go and put the kynge in daunger amonge these people and if any thynge happen to fall a mysse as the chaunces of fortune are maruaylous what shall be sayde than howe we haue brought the kynge thyder to betray him and to the dystructyon of the realme and nat for the augmentynge therof God defende the realme fro all domage and parell If the kyng go he muste haue parte of his noble men with hym And if mysse fortune fall the realme of Fraunce is loste without recouery Therfore loke wysely if it be good to counsayle the kyng to go that voyage in to Almayne Than some other suche as had wysely coniected all parelles in their imagynacyons sayd In the name of god lette nother the kynge go nor yet sende thyder no puyssaunce For though the duke of Guerles who is but yonge and that youthe of wytte haue made hym to defye the kynge whiche was nat done by no greate wysdome nor good counsayle but rather done by folissh pride of yonge people who wolde flye or they haue wynges And sythe he hathe thus defyed the kynge lette hym alone and suffre hym to pursewe his desyaunce the realme of Fraunce is great if he entre in to the realme in any maner of wyse the kinge shall sone be enfourmed therof and than he shall haue a iuste cause to styre vp his people and to go and fyght agaynste hym where so euer he fynde hym or els to make hym flye or yelde hym in the felde and therby the kynge shall haue more honour and lesse charge than to go in to Guerles for suche as knowe the countrey saye that or we can come to the duke if he lyste we must passe a foure great ryuers the lyste of them as great as the ryuer of Loyre at Namurs or Charite Also they say it is a fowle countrey and yuell lodgynges THe noble men and counsaylouts of Fraunce were thus in dyuers imagynacyons on this voyage that the kynge wolde make in to Almayne and surely it had ben auaunsed the soner forwarde and they had nat douted the venym that myght growe by the occasyon of Bretayne and of the duke there that mater drewe theym a backe And indede they had good cause to doute it for the duke of Bretayne was well infourmed of the defyaunce that the duke of Guerles hadde made to the Frenche kynge and howe that the yonge kinge Charles wolde go in to Almayne The duke loked for nothyng els but that the kynge shulde be ones departed out of his Realme of Fraunce he hadde ordeyned and concluded bytwene hym and the englysshe men to suffre the englisshe army to entre in to his countrey And also he had by subtyle meanes drawen to his acorde the moste parte of the good townes of Bretaygne and specyally Nauntes Wennes Rennes Lentriguier Guerrādo Lambale saynte Malo and saynte Mathewe defyn poterne but the noble men he coulde nat gette to his opynyon Than the duke imagyned if the lordes shulde go with the constable of Fraunce in to Almayne thanne his warre and entente shulde the soner come to passe He caused his townes and castels to be well prouyded for with vytayles and artyllary and he shewed well howe he inclyned rather to the warre than to haue pease Also he had great alyaunce with Charles they yonge kyng of Nauerre and the duke promysed hym that if he might come to his entent to haue puyssaunce of men of armes and archers out of Englāde he wolde bringe them streight in to Normandy and recouer fyrst the good townes and castels that kynge Charles of Fraunce vncle to the kynge of Nauerre had taken fro hym by his men as the lorde of Coucy and outher Of this the kynge of Nauer had great trust and by reason therof he helde in humble loue the duke of Lancastre who was at Bayon for bytwene theym was great alyaunces And of all this I sawe great apparence as I shall shewe after IN the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and eyght the seuenth daye of Aprell it was concluded by the kynge of Englande and his counsayle and by his vncles the duke of yorke and the duke of Glocestre that the erle Rycharde of Arundell shulde be heed and chefe of an army on the see with hym a thousande men of armes and thre thousande archers and to be at Hamton the fyftene day of May and there to fynde his nauy redy apparelled And euery man that was apoynted to go to be there redy at that daye And the kynge of Englande on saynte Georges daye nexte after helde a great feast at his castell of Wyndesore And there were the chefe lordes that shulde go with therle of Arundell and there they toke their leaues of the kynge and of the quene and of all other ladyes and so came to Hampton at their daye apoynted and entred in to their shyppes the twenty day of May whiche was a fayre clere day There was the erle of Arundell the erle of Notyngham the Erle of Deuonshyre syr Thomas Percy the lorde Clifforde sir Iohn̄ of Ware wyke sir Willyam de la Selle the lorde Cameux syr Stephyn de Libery syr Willyam Helman syr Thomas Moreaur syr Iohan Dambreticourt syr Roberte Sere sir Peter Mountbery sir Loys Clombo sir Thomas Coq syr Willyam Pulle and dyuers other They were of good men of armes a thousand speares and aboute a thre thousande archers They had with theym no horses for they trusted if they might come to their ententes to entre in to Bretayne and there to refresshe them where as they shulde fynde horses ynowe at a good price to serue them The daye that they departed fro Hampton was so fayre and peasable that it was meruayle they drewe towardes Normādy nat purposyng to lande in any parte but to passe by the fronters of Normandy and Bretayne tyll they herde other newes They had in their nauy certayne vessels called Ballengers who sayled on before to se if they myght fynde any aduenture in lyke maner as knyghtes do by lande go before the bataylles to dyscouer the coūtrey and enbusshes ¶ Nowe we shall leaue a season of spekynge of this army and speke somwhat of the busynesse of Guerles Brabant and shewe howe the siege was layde to Graue ¶ Howe the brabansoys layde siege to the towne of Graue And howe the constable of Fraunce toke saynte Malo and saynte Mathewes and set there men in garyson and howe the duke of Lancastre was at Bayon greatly dyscomforted in that he coulde gette no maner of ayde Cap. C.xxvi AS it hath been shewed here before of the auncyent dukes of Guerles howe the eldest sonne of the duke of
of armes theâ— done the Geneuoys and crosbowes that were in the shyppes shotte so rudely and so hole toguyder at them on the bridge that none of them durste scantely shewe any defence What shulde I make longe tale By force of assault the bridge on the ryuer was wonne and all that were fouÌ„de theron slayne and drowned none scaped thus the french men had the bridge of Taylbourc their siege was the easyer It was but thre leages fro faynt IohnÌ„s Dangle and two leages fro Xauntes in the best countre of the worlde OF the losse of Tayllebourke they within Dynaudon other were sore dismayed as they had good cause for they had lost therby the passage of the ryuer howe be it yet they wolde nat yelde them They thought theÌ„selfe in a stronge place and trusted on some rescue fro Burdeaux For it was shewed in all those fronters and englysshe forteresses that the duke of Lancastre or elles the erle of Buckyngham with two thousande men of armes four thousande archers shulde come to Burdeaux to fyght with the frenche men and to reyse all their siege Of this they greatly trusted but it fortuned otherwyse as I shall shewe you It was ordayned in Englande that the Duke of Lancastre and sit Iohan Hollande brother to the kynge Sir Thomas Percy six Thomas Tryuet the lorde Fitz water six Wylliam wyndesore sit IohnÌ„ Fitzwaren and other barons knightes and squyers with a thousande speares and thre thousande archers shulde haue gone to Burdeaux to haue ben there all the somer and to haue refresshed Mortayne Boutuyll and other fortresses in Gascoyne and LaÌ„guedocke and to fight with the Frenche men if they founde them in the countrey And after that they had taryed there a season than to haue gone fro thens in to Castell to Bayon and to Nauarre For they were in treatie with the kyng of Nauer This was ymagined in EnglaÌ„de but all tourned to nought for whan they knewe the certaynte that the admyrall of FrauÌ„ce with a thousande speares of chosen knightes and squyers were come in to Scotlande Than they chaunged their purpose and durst sende none of their men oute of the realme for they doughted greatly the dedes of the frenche men and Scottes ioyned toguyder Also the same tyme there ranne a voyce through all Englande howe they shulde be the same Somer assayled with the frenchmen in thre ê‘tes One by Bretaygne for the duke there was become frenche And another by Normandye for the whiche as it was sayd The constable of FraÌ„ce made his prouisyon at Harflewe and Depe and so a longe the Scesyde to saynt Valeries and to Crotoy And the thirde by the Scottes so that for dought of this they wolde suffre no knightes nor squyers to go out of Englande but made prouisyon to defende their hauyns portes of the see The same season the Erle of Arundell Richarde was admyrall of the See and was on the See with a thre or fourescore great shyppes furnysshed with men of armes and archers And he hadde small shippes that ranne in and oute and viewed the boundes of the yles of Normandy to knowe tidynges ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of the duke of Burbone and of the siege of Tayllebourcke where as he laye a nyne wekes let vs shewe howe the admyrall of FrauÌ„ce toke lande in the realme of Scotlande and what chere they had made to them at their firste lodgynge _tHe Frenche army that went in to scotlande had wynde at wyll It was in the monethe of Maye whan the waters be peaseable and meke and the ayre softe and swete First they costed FlaÌ„ders Holande zelande and Frise and at last aproched to the sight of Scotlande But are they aryued theâ— fell an harde aduenture to a yonge knyght of Fraunce a proper man of armes called sir Aubert DaÌ„gyers The knyght was yong and of haute courage and to shewe his strength and lyghtnesse of body he lepte vp clene armed on the walle of the shyppe and in the lightynge his fete slypped and so fell ouer the borde in to the see so that he coulde nat be holpen For incoÌ„tynent he sanke downe bycause of the weight of his harnes also the ship sayled euer forthe Of this knightes aduenture all the barownes and knyghtes were sore dyspleased but there was no remedy And so longe they sayled that they arryued at Edenborowe the chiefe towne in Scotlande And wheâ— as the kyng in tyme of peace moost coÌ„menly laye And as soone as the erle Duglas and the Erle Morette knewe of their coÌ„mynge they wente to the hauyn and mette with them and receyued them swetely Sayeng howe they were right welcome in to that countrey And the barons of Scotlande knewe ryght well sir Geffray de Charney for he had been the somer before two monethes in their company sir Geffray acquaynted them with the Admyrall and the other knyghtes of Fraunce As at that tyme the kynge of Scottes was nat there for he was in the wylde scottysshe But it was shewed these knightâ— howe the kyng wolde be there shortly wherwith they were well content and so were lodged there about in the vyllages For Edenborough thoughe the kynge kepte there his chefe resydence and that it is Parys in ScotlaÌ„de yet it is nat lyke Tourney or ValenceÌ„nes for in all the towne there is nat foure thousande houses Therfore it behoued these lordes and knyghtes to be lodged about in vyllages As at Donfer Me lyne Castell DoÌ„bare Aluest and suche other Anone tidynges sprange about in Scotlande that a great nombre of men of armes of FrauÌ„ce were come into their countre Some therat dyde murmure and grudge and sayde Who the deuyll hath sente for theym What do they here Can nat we maynteyne our warre with Englande well ynoughe withoute their helpe We shall do no good as longe as they be with vs Let it be shewed vnto them that they may retourne agayne And that we be stronge ynough in Scotlande to maynteyne our warre without theym And therfore we wyll none of their company They vnderstande nat vs nor we them therfore we can nat speke toguyder They wyll anone ryffle and eate vp all that euer we haue in this countrey They shall doo vs more dispytes and domages than thoughe the Englysshe men shulde fyght with vs. For thoughe the Englysshe men brinne our houses we care lytell therfore We shall make them agayne chepe ynough We axe but thre dayes to make them agayne if we maye geate foure or fyue stakes and bowes to couer them ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the Frenche men founde a wylde countrey of Scotlande and were yuell content with thadmyrall and howe he pacifyed theÌ„ with fayre wordes And howe Fraunces Atreman and his company had nere hande taken Ardenbourcke in FlauÌ„ders Cap. iii. THus the scottes sayde in Scotlande at the comynge of the frenchmen thyder for they dyde sette nothynge by them but hated them in their courage and diframed theym in their
myght haue an answere Laurence sayd the duke or this tyme â–ª I haue shewed you and yet agayne I say it that your comynge and these tydynges doth me grete pleasure and ye shall not departe fro me tyll ye be satysfyed of all your requestes well answered in that ye be come for syr sayd the squyer I thanke you then the duke called for wyne spyces so toke theyr leue wente to theyr lodgynge to Arcorch to the house of the Fawcon in London there they were lodged with Thomelyn of Colebrunque ANd it was not longe after but that the duke of Lancastre and the erle of Cambrydge his broder had counsayle togyder of that busynes â–ª of Castell and Portyngale wherof the erle of Cambrydge was well contente for he had ben in that countrey before more then a yere and he was glad to here of the condycyons tytles of the kynge of Portyngale and of the quene of Castell and sayd to his broder syr when kynge Ferrant lyued the Chanon Robsart and syr Wyllyam Wyndesore and dyuers other knyghtes that were there with me shewed me as it is nowe fallen for they sayd how they had herde dyuers of the same couÌ„trey murmure on the quene of Castelles tytle to Portyngale therfore I toke away with me my sone had no grete affeccyon to that maryage In the name of god sayd the duke the squyer that is here of Portyngale hathe declared all the matter and I thynke we can not haue so fayre an entre in to Castell as by Portyngale for the royalme of Aragon is ferre of and also the kynge there and his chyldren haue alwayes ben more fauourable to the frensshe partye thenne to vs Therfore it were not good syth the kynge of Portyngale maketh for vs this good 〈◊〉 to refuse it So on a day for this matter there was a parlyament holden at Westmynstre there it was accorded that the duke of Lancastre sholde haue at the costes of the royalme bitwene a M. .xii. C. speres of chosen men .ii. M. archers a M. of other yomen they were all paydein hande for halfe a yere therwith all the kynges vncles were well contente specyally the duke of Lancastre to whom pryncypally the matter touched as he that sholde be chefe of the armye and to dyspatche these ambassadours of Portyngale the kynge of Englande wrote to the kynge of Portyngale louynge letters conteynyng grete amyte that he wolde bere to Portyngale grete gyftes were gyueÌ„ to the mayster of saynt Iaques in Portyngale to Laurence Fongase who was alwayes with the duke of Lancastre with the erle of Cambrydge so on a day these ambassadours toke theyr leue of the kyng his couÌ„sayle dyned that daye with the duke of Lancastre the erle of Cambrydge the nexte day they were delyuered as I vn derstode the duke of Lancastre sente letters to the kynge of Portyngale also by credence that he sholde sende a .vii. galeys an .xviii. or .xx. other vesselles to the porte of Brystowe on the fronters of Wales for hym his company to passe in to Portyngale so the ambassadoures departed wente to Hampton there founde theyr shyp that taryed for them so entred in to the see had wynde at theyr wyl so entred in to the hygh Spaynysshe see within .v. dayes they were in the hauen of the porte of Portyngale at whiche tyme the kynge was there and was ryght ioyfull of theyr comynge ANd there the grete mayster of saynt Iaques in Portyngale Laurence Fongase shewed the kynge his counsayle al that they had sene herde in Englande as well of the kynge as of his vncles delyuered theyr letters whiche certefyed al theyr saynges then anone after the kynge of Portyngale Who gretely desyred the ayde out of Englande to the entente to cause his enemyes to haue the more fere determyned with his couÌ„sayle that mayster Alphons Vâ—etat chefe patron mayster of all his shyppes and galeys in Portyngale that he sholde prepayre redy .vii. galeys and .xviii. other grete Chyppes to sayle in to Englande to fetche the duke of Lancastre his coÌ„pany so Alphons was coÌ„maunded thus to do he incontynent dyd so and so on a daye departed fro the porte of Portyngale and in .vi. dayes he arryued at Brystowe at whiche season the lordes of Englande for the moost parte were aboute the marches of Wales for the kynge was there when the duke of Lancastre knewe of the comynge of these shyppes he was ryght ioyfull Then knyghtes squyers and al suche as sholde go with hym were sente for so that in the porte of Brystowe there were CC. vesselles with the flete of Portyngale redy apparelled for the duke and his company and the dukes entencyon was to haue with hym his wyfe his chyldreÌ„ to make with them some good maryages in castel in Portyngale or his retourne agayne in to Englande for he thought not shortely to retourne for he saw the busynes in Englande lykely to be harde and sharpe how the kyng his neuewe was yonge and had aboute hym peryllous counsayle wherfore he was the gladder to be gone or he departed in the presence of his bretherne he ordeyned his sone the lorde Henry erle of Darby his lieutenaunt of all that he had in Englande set aboute hym wyse sad counsayle he was a lusty yonge knyght was sone to the duches of Lancastre the lady Blaunche doughter to quene Phylyp of Englande I neuer sawe .ii. better ladyes nor of more noble condycyon nor neuer shal thoughe I sholde lyue this thousande yeres whiche is impossyble WHen duke IohnÌ„ of Lancastre had ordred all his busynes in Englonde theÌ„ he toke leue of the kyng of his bretherne and so he wente to Brystowe there taryed a .xv. dayes shypped all his horses bagages mo then .ii. M. with hay lytter and fresshe water for them Then the duke entred in to a galey well apparelled had by hym a grete shyp yfnede were for hym for the duches Constaunce his wyfe who wente in this iourney with a good courage for she trusted then to recouer her herytage of Castell and to be quene there or she retourned agayne she had with her a doughter called Katheryne by her fyrst husbande .ii. other doughters Izabel and Phylyp whiche Phylyp was maryed to syr IohnÌ„ Holande who was constable of the oost the marshall was syr Thomas Morâ—aur who had also in maryage one of his doughters howbeit she was a bastarde was moder to the lady mercell damoysel Mary of saynt Hyllary of Hauman admyral of the dukes nauey was syr Thomas Percy also there was syr yon fythwaren the lorde of Lucy syr Henry Beaumond de poumins syr IohnÌ„ of But nuell the lorde Talbot the lorde Basset syr Wyllyam Beaâ—champ syr Wyllyam Wyndefore syr Thomas
duke of Bretaygne sawe howe his excuses coude nat be taken nor herde sayde Well sirs if I go to Parys it shal be greatlye agaynst my wyll and to my preiudyce For whan I come there I shall fynde and se daylye before me sir Olyuer of Clyssone whom I can nat loue nor neuer dyde nor he me who shall attempte me with rygorous wordes My lordes regarde well what inconuenyentes shall ensue of my goynge thyder Sir ê™ the duke of Burgoyne fayre cosyn haue ye no dout therin for we shall swere solempnely to you that withoute it shall be your owne pleasure ye shall nouther se nor speke with the Constable nor with Iohan of Mountforde as longe as ye shall be there Of this sir ye shall be sure but ye shall se the kynge who desyreth to se you and other lordes knyghtes and squyers of Fraunce who shall make you good chere And whanne ye haue done that ye loke for ye shall retourne agayne without peryll or dommage Wherto shulde I make longe processe So moche the duke of Bretayne was desyred with faire wordes that he consented to go to Parys on the promyse that the Constable nor Iohan of Mountforde shulde nat come in his preseÌ„ce the whiche the dukes sware faythfully to vpholde and thervpon he ê“mysed to go to Parys A fyue dayes these dukes were at Bloyes and eche of them feested other ryght nobly and the couÌ„tesse and her chyldren in lyke maner And whan euery thyng was accomplysshed the two dukes toke leaue of the duke of Bretaygne and retourned to Parys But sir Wylliam of Heynaulte retourned nat to Parys with the duke of Burgoyne his faire father but rode first with the countesse of Bloyes who made hym right good chere and taryed there a thre dayes than toke his leaue and retourned in to Fraunce by the Castell Dune and Bonyuall ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe Lewes kyng of Cycyle entred in to Parys in estate royall and howe the duke of Bretayne entred on the nyght of saynt IohnÌ„ the Baptyst The yere of grace a thousande thre hundred fourscore seuyn and of a dede of armes doone before the kyng at Mountereau faulte you bytwene a knyght of Englande called sir ThomÌ„s Harpingham and a frenche knyght named sir IohnÌ„ de Barres Cap. C.xxxi THe duke of Bretaygne rode to Boygency on the ryuer of Loyre there he ordered his businesse to go to Parys The same tyme before the duke of Bretaygne entered in to Parys there entred the quene of Cycyll and of Hierusalem somtyme wyfe to the Duke of Aniou who was called kynge of those countreis and also of Naples and with her was her yonge sonne Lewes who was as thanne in all Fraunce named kynge of all the said landes And in their company was Iohan of Bretaygne brother to the lady She sente worde before of her coÌ„mynge to the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne aduertysyng theÌ„ howe she brought in her company her yonge son Lewes their nephue desyring to knowe whether he shulde entre into Paris as a kynge or elles symply as Lewes of Aniou The two dukes sente her worde aduisynge and couÌ„sayling her that he shulde entre as kyng of Naples of Cycyle and of Hierusalem And sente her worde that thoughe he were nat as thanne in possessyon of the Realmes yet they wolde entyse the Frenche kyng that he shulde ayde hym to conquere them for so they sware to do to their brother kyng Lois After this maner the lady prepared for her selfe and came and entred in to Parys and made her sonne to ryde throughe the hyghe stretes by saynt Iaques so to his lodgynge in grene in estate royall accompanyed with Dukes erles and prelates a great nombre There the lady taryed with her sonne and thanne wente to se the kynge at his castell of Loure abydinge there the commynge of the duke of Bretaygne ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the duke of Bretaygne entred in to Parys and came to the castell of Loure to the Frenche kynge Cap. C.xxxii WHan the duke of Bretayne aproched nere to Parys he rested one nyght at the quenes Bourge and the nexte daye he entred in to Paris great lokyng for hym was in Paris bycause he had before putte in daunger the Constable of Fraunce and had ben sente for dyuers tymes and wolde neuer come tyll than Men spake therof dyuersly and on a sondaye beynge Mydsomer daye at tenne of the clocke afore noone the duke of Bretaygne entred the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre huÌ„dred fourscore and eight in to Parys at hell gate and passed a long the strete of the Harpe and ouer the bridge saynt Michell and so before the palais well accompanyed with lordes and knyghtes There was sir Wyllyam of Heynaulre erle of Ostrenaunt his faire brother Iohan of Burgoyne and before him roode sir Wyllyam of Namure Thus he came to the Castelle of Loure and there alyghted as he rode throughe the stretes he was greatelye regarded of the common people And whan the duke was a lyghted and entred in at the gate he remembred what he shulde do and saye And before hym was the lorde of Coucy the erle of Sauoy sir IohnÌ„ of Vyen sir Guye de la Tremoyle sir IohnÌ„ of Vernayle the erle of Meauir sir Iohan of Voye sir Iohan of Barres and nere to hym was sir Wyllyam of Namure Iohan of Burgoyne and the erle of Ostrenaunte And behynde hym the lorde Mountforde of Bretayne and the lorde of Malestroyt they were of his kynne and priuy couÌ„sayle there was great preace to se hym and the halle but lytell and the boordes were couered for the kynge to go to dyner And the kynge stoode there redy before the table and his .iii. vncles besyde hym dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne and of Burbone As soone as the duke was entred euery man made place so that the duke myght se the kynge Firste he made one curtesy and so passed forthe a renne or .xii. paces Than he made the seconde curtesy and rose agayne and so passed forthe tyll he came before the kynge Than the thirde tyme he kneled downe bare heeded and saluted the kyng and sayd Sir I am come to se your grace god maynteyne youre prosperyte I thanke you sir quod the kyng and we haue great desyre to se you We shall se and speke with you at more leysar and therwith toke hym vp by the armes Than the duke enclyned hym self to all the other princes eche after other than he stode styll before the kynge without spekynge of any worde The kyng sore behelde hym Thanne the Stewardes and offycers came forthe with water and the kyng wasshed and the duke of Bretaygne putte his hande to the bason and to the towell And whan the kyng was sette the duke toke his leaue of the kyng and of his vncles and the lorde of Coucy and the erle of saynt Poule with other lordes conueyed hym in to the court where his horses were and there
brought before Perotte and dyde well his message wherof Perot had great ioye For he greatly desyred to here tidynges of the army on the see Than he sayd to the Breton thou arte welcome Bothe I and all my companions haue great desyre to ryde forthe abrode and so shall we do and accomplysshe that thou hast shewed vs. THus Perotte le Bernoys made hym prest and sente to Carlate to the Bourge of Champaygne to the capitayne of Ousacke Olyue Barbe and to the capitayn of Aloyse besyde saynt Floure Aymergotte Marcell and to other capitayns a longe the countrey in Auuergne an Lymosyn oesyryng all these to make theÌ„ redy for he wolde ryde oute abrode for he sawe it than a good season for them coÌ„maundynge them to leaue sure men in their garisons tyll their returne These companyons who hadde as great desyre to ryde abrode as Perot for they coulde nat ware ryche withoute some other loste made theÌ„ redy and came to Chalucet where they assembled They were well to the nombre of foure hundred speares they thought themselfe suffycient to do a great feate they knewe no lorde in the countrey as than able to resyste them nor to breke their enterprice for the siege of Vandachore of sir Wyllyam of Lignacke nor of Boesme LauÌ„ce was nat defeated as than Thus they rode forthe and were lordes of the feldes and passed Auuergne on the ryght hande and tooke the ryght waye to Berrey for they knewe well the duke was nat as than there but was in Fraunce with the kyng at MouÌ„tereau or faulte you ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of Perot le Bernoys and of his enterprice and speke of the erle of Arundell and of his armye on the see and shewe howe he perceuered after he was departed fro the cost of Bretayne WHan the erle of Arundell suche lordes as were with hym were departed fro the cost of Bretayne they sayled with good wynd and wether for the tyme was fayre pleasunt and goodly to beholde the shippes on the see They were a sixscore one and other with baners and stremers wauynge in the wynde glytrynge with the lordes armes agaynst the sonne Thus they went saylyng by the see fresshly like a horse newe coÌ„myng out of the stable brayeng and cryeng and fomyng at the mouth The see was so prompt and so agreable to theÌ„ as thoughe by fygure the see shulde haue said to them be mery sirs I am for you and I shall bring you to good porte and hauen without peryll Thus these lordê sayled frontyng Poyctou and Xaynton cast ancre before Rochell in the hauen towarde Marant Than some of their coÌ„pany seyng the fludde coÌ„myng entred or it were full water in to bottes mo than two hundred one and other and arryued nere to the towne of Marant The watche of Marant had spied the Englysshe flete and sawe howe the bottes were commyng to lande warde with the fludde Than he blewe his truÌ„pe and made great noyse to awake the men of the towne to saue them selfe so that many men and women toke their goodes and wente and saued them in the Castell the whiche came well to passe for them or els they had lost all Whan they sawe the Englysshmen come at their he lys they toke that they had and lefte the rest and saued their bodyes The Englysshe archers and other entred in to the towne fell to pyllage therfore they came thyder but lytell they founde there sauyng coffers voyde and emptye all their goodes was withdrawen in to the Castell As for Corne wyne salte becone and other prouision they fouÌ„de ynoughe for there was more than four hundred tonne of wyne in the towne Wherfore they determyned to abyde there a certayne space to kepe that prouisyon It came well to passe for them for they sayde if they shulde departe thens all shulde be withdrawen in to the fortresses and caryed awaye by the ryuer to Fountney as moche as they myght and the reste distroyed They taryed all that night in the towne They came thyder in the euenyng and sente worde to them on the see what case they were in and the cause why they taryed The erle of Arundell and the other lordes sayde howe they had done well This nyght passed The nexte mornynge whan the tyde began to retourne they disancred all their small vesselles and euery man wente in to them and putte all their harnesse in to bottes and barges and lafte their great shippes styll at ancre for they coude nat cum nere to the lande for lacke of water and they laste an hundred men of armes and two hundred archers styll there to kepe their shippes whiche laye at the mouthe of the hauyn thaÌ„ with their smalle vesselles they arryued at Marant and toke lande at their leysar and so lodged all bytwene Marant and the towne of Rochell the whiche was but four leages fro thens Tidynges spredde abrode in the countrey howe the Englysshe men were arryued at Barante a four hundred fightyng men the playne countrey the good townes and castelles were a srayde and made good watche Than they of the vyllages fledde amaye and caryed their goodê in to Forestes and in to other places as shortely as they myght ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe they of Marroys and Rochellois were sore afrayed of the Englysshmen that were a lande how they of Rochell made a serimysshe with them and howe after the Englysshmen had pylled the countrey about Marant they drewe agayne to the see with their pyllage whiche was great Cap. C.xxxiiii IF the Englysshmen had ben furnysshed with horses it had been greatly to their profyte for the countrey as than was vnproâ—â—ded of men of warr namely of suche as were able to haue merre with them True it was the lord of Parteney the lorde of Pons the lorde of Lymers that lorde of Tanyboton sir Geffray of Argenton the lorde of Montendre sir Aymery of Roch chouart the vycont of to wars and dyuers other knyghtes and squyers of Poictou and of Xaynton were as than in the countrey but they were nat toguyder for euery man was in his owne fortresse for they were nat ware of the Englysshe mens commynge thyder If they hadde knowen a moneth before that the Englysshe menne wolde haue ryued there they wolde haue prouyded therfore but they knewe it nat This fell sodaynly wherfore they were the more afrayde and euery man toke hede to kepe his owne the men of the countrey to gette in their cornes for it was about the begynnynge of Auguste Also there was no heed Capitaygne in the countrey to bringe menne toguyder The duke of Berrey who was cheife soueraygne of Poittou was but newely gone to Parys The seneschall of Xaynton was nat in the countrey And the Seneschall of Rochell sir Helyon of Lignacke was nat at Rochell nor in the countrey He was in great busynesse to ryde in and out bytwene the duke of Berrey and the duke of Lancastre By
well the scottes Than the lordes and knyghtes of Scotlande determyned ones agayne to reyse vp an army and to make a iourney in to Englande they sayde it was as than good tyme and houre for they sawe the Englysshmen were nat all of one accorde And where as often tymes past they had receyued great buffettes than they sayd it was good tyme for them to be reuenged And to the entent that their purpose shulde nat be knowen they ordayned a feest to be holden on the fronter of the wylde scottes at a cytie called Berdane where assembled in maner all the lordes of Scotlande At this feest they concluded and made full promyse that in the myddes of August the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore ano eight They shulde mete all with their puyssaunce on the fronters of Gales at a castell in the hyghe forest called Gedeours Thus at that tyme they departed eche fro other And of this couenauÌ„t there was none of them that made their kyng priuy therto For they sayd amonge themselfe their kyng was no manne of warre There came to Gedeours at the day apoynted first the erle Iames Duglas sir Iohan of Morette erle of Marche and or Donbare sir Wyllyam de Fu and sir Stephyn Erle of Monstres sir Aucebauce of Duglas sir Robert Auerceque sir Marke Odremneu sir Wyllyam Lymsey sir Iames his brother Thomas of Berry sir Alysaunder Lymsey the lorde of Sechyn sir Iohan of Sobelas sir Patryke of DoÌ„bare sir IohnÌ„ Senclere sir Patryke of Hoteborne sir Iohan sonne to the lorde Momogomercy sir Adam of glas diuyn sir Wyllyam Reduryn sir Wyllyam Stonacke sir IohnÌ„ of Halpe breton sir Alider and sir Robert Lander sir Stephyn freseyle sir Alysander Ramsey and sir Iohan his brother sir WyllmÌ„ Morbereth sir Maubert Here sir Wylliam of Waleran sir IohnÌ„ Amonstan and Dauy his sonne Robert Colemney and dyuers other knightes and squiers of Scotlande In threscore yere before there was nat assembled toguyder in Scotlande suche a nombre of good meÌ„ they were a .xii. huÌ„dred speares and .xl. thousande men besyde with their archers but iÌ„ tyme of nede the scottes can lytell skyll with their bowes They rather beare axes wherwith they gyue great strokes WHan they were thus mette togyder in the marchesse of Gedeours they were mery and sayd they wolde neuer entre againe in to their owne houses tyll they had ben in Englande and done suche dedes there that it shulde be spoken of .xx. yere after And to the entent to make sure poyntment they assigned a daye to mete at a churche in a fayre lauÌ„de called zedon Tidynges came in to Northumberlande as nothynge can be hydde if men putte to their dilygence to knowe bothe to therle and to his chyldreÌ„ to the seneschall of yorke and to sir Mathue Redman capitayne of Berwike of this gret feest that had ben at Bredane And to theÌ„rent to knowe wherfore it was these lordes sente to sertche couertly by heraudes mynstrels The scottes coude nat do their maters so secrerly but the lordes of EnglaÌ„de knewe howe men rose in scotlaÌ„de how they shulde mete agayne at Gedeours Brute of this came to Newcastell vpontyne And whan the lordes knewe of this euery man toke good hede to his charge and prouyded them selfe redy to assemble if nede were and this they dyde secretly bycause their enterprice shulde nat be broken Euery man helde hym selfe in their owne houses and were determyned to mete toguyder as soone as they knewe that the scottes came forwarde and sayd If the scottes come forthe we shall haue knowlege therof If they drawe towardê Carlyle we shall entre at another parte in to their countrey and we shall do them more dommage than they can do vs for their countrey is all open We maye go where we lyst and our countre is strong and the townes and castelles well closed And the better to knowe the state of the scottes they sent a gentylman of EnglaÌ„de who knewe ryght well the marchesse of Scotlande and specially the forest of Gedeours where the scottes shulde assemble And the Englisshe squyer went so forwarde that without espyeng he came to the churche of zedon where the scottyss he lordes were And he encred in amonge them lyke one of their seruauntes and there he herde and knewe a great parte of thententes of the scottes and at th ende of their counsayle the squyer went to a tree where he hadde tyed his horse and thought to haue fouÌ„de him there but he was gone for a scotte who be great theues had stollen hym awaye He durste nat speke for hym but so went forthe a fote boted and spurted And whan he was gone fro the churche two bowe shotte than there were two scottyss he knyghtes deuysed bytwene them selfe and sayd one to another felowe I haue sene a marueyle beholde yonder a man gothe alone and as I thynke he hath lost his horse for he came by and spake no worde I wene he be none of our company lette vs ryde after hym to proue my sayeng They rode after hym and soone ouertoke hym WhanÌ„e he sawe them coÌ„mynge he wolde gladly haue ben thens They came to hym and demaunded whether he wolde and from whens he came and what he had done with his horse He began to varry in his sayeng and answered nat directely to their purpose They turned hym and sayde he shulde go and speke with their lordes They brought hym again to the churche of zedon and presented hym to the erle Duglas and to other lordes they examyned hym and parceyued well he was an Englysshe man Than they sayde they wolde knowe the trouthe why he came thyder He was yuell wyllynge to shewe the trouthe but they handled hym in suche wise that he was fayne to shewe all the mater for they bare hym in hande withoute he wolde shewe the trouthe incoÌ„tynent he shulde lese his heed and if he wolde shewe the trouthe he shulde haue none yuell There they knew by hym that the lordes of Northumberlande had sente hym thyder to knowe the estate of their entÌ„price and whiche waye they wolde drawe Herof the scottes were right ioyous and wolde nat for a great good but that they had spoken with this squyer Than they demaunded agayne of hym in what parte the Englysshe lordes were and whyder there were any aparence that they wolde assemble toguyder and what wayâ— they wolde take to entre in to Scotlande Outher by the see syde by Berwyke or els by Donbare or els the highe waye by the countie of Monstres towarde Streuelyn The squyer answered and sayde Sirs sithe it behoueth me to say the trouthe I shall Whan I departed from them fro Newcastell there was none aparence of their assemblyng but they be on a redynesse to departe as well to daye as to morowe And as soone as they knowe that ye set forwarde and entre in to Englande they wyll nat come to mete with you for
tyme there rose suche a tempeste that it sperkled abrode the englysshe nauy in suche wyse that the hardyest marynere there was sore abasshed so that perforce they were constreyned to seke for lande And the erle of Arundell with .xxvii. vesselles with hym whether they wolde or nat were fayne to caste ancre in a lytell hauen called the Palyce a two small leages fro Rochell and the wynde was so streynable on see borde that they coude nat departe thence Whanne tydynges therof came to Rochell they were in great dought at the fyrste leste the englisshmen wolde come on them and do them great domage and closed their gates and helde them shytte a day and a halfe Than other tydynges came to them fro them of Palyce howe the englysshemen were but .xxvii. vesselles and came thyder by force of wynde and wether and taryed for nothynge but to de parte agayne and that the Erle of Arundell was there and the lorde Henry Beamonde sir Willyam Helmen mo than thyrty knyghtes of Englande Than they of Rochell tooke counsayle what thynge was beste for them to do and all thyng consydered they sayd howe they shulde but easly acquyte themselfe if they went nat to skrymysshe with them The same season before the castell of Bouteuyll was syr Loys of Xansere mershall of FrauÌ„ce and had besieged within the fortresse Gylliam of saynt Foye a gascon and with the marshall a great company of Poictoâ— of Xayntone of Piergourt of Rochell and of the lowe marches for all were nat gone in to Almayne with the knig This sir Loys was soueraygne capytayne ouer all the fronters bytwene Mountpellyer and Rochell tyll the retourne of the lorde Coucy They of Rochell sent worde to the marshall of the englysshmens beynge at Palyce Whan he herde therof he was ryght ioyfull and sent to theym that they shulde make redy seuen or eyght galees and to man them forthe for he wolde come by lande and fyght with the Englisshmen They of Rochell dyd as they were commaunded and sir Loys departed fro his siege and brake it vp for he thought it shulde be more honorable for hym to fyght with the erle of Arundell and the englysshe men rather thanne to contyne we styll his siege Thus be wente to Rochell and all knyghtes and squyers folowed hym I can nat tell by what inspyracyon the erle of Arundell had knowledge howe the marshall of Fraunce with a greate puyssaunce of knyghtes and squyers was comynge to fyght with hym at Palyce whiche tydynges were nat very pleasaunte to the erle of Arundell howe be it the wynde was some what layde and the see aueyled Than the erle wayed vp ancres and sayled in to the see in suche good season that if he had taryed longe after he had been enclosed in the hauen and euery man taken for in contynent thyder came the galees of Rochell well manned and furnysshed with artyllery and gonnes and came streyght to the hauen of the Palyce and fouÌ„de the englisshe men departed They pursued after a two leages in the see and shotte gonnes howebeit they durst nat longe folowe for feare of enbusshmentes on the see Than the frenche shippes returned and the marshall of Fraunce was sore dyspleased with theym of Rochell that they sente hym worde so late The erle of Arundell toke the waye by the ryuer of Garon to come to Burdeaux and therby the siege before Bowteuyll was defeated for Gillonet of saynt Foy prouyded his garyson of that he neded in the meane tyme the the marshall went to fyght with the englysshe men NOwe let vs retourne somwhat to speke of the duke of Lancastre howe he was in treatie with the spanyardes and also with the Duke of Berrey for the maryage of his doughter The kynge of Castyle treated with hym for his sonne the prince of Castyle to the entent to haue a peace with the englisshe men Also the duke of Berrey treated to haue the duke of Lancasters doughter for hymselfe for he had great desyre to be maryed And the duke of Lancastre lyke a sage imagynatâ—â—e prince sawe well howe it was more profitable for Englande and for hym to mary his doughter in to Castyle rather than to the duke of Berrey for therby he thought to recouer the herytage of Castyle in tyme to come for his doughter And if he shulde gyue her to the duke of Berrey and the duke fortune to dye his doughter than shulde be but a poore lady to the regarde of other bycause the duke of Berrey had chyldren by his fyrst wyfe who shulde haue all the profyte Also the duchesse of Lancastre enclyned to the kynge of Castyles sonne So that whan sir Helyon of Lignac was departed fro the duke of Lancastre and retourned to the duke of Berrey beynge as that in Almayne than the king of Castyls messaÌ„gers were well herde in suche wyse that their wordes were noted and their offers accepted and the couenaunte made and sworne bytwene Kateryn of Lancastre and the kynge of Castylles sonne and writynges and publike instrumentes and oblygatory bondes made and concluded with out reâ—le or repentaunce So that the duches of LaÌ„castre after euery thyng set in ordre shulde bring her doughter Kateryn in to Castyle All this season the frenche kynge was styll in the fronters of Iulyers concludynge with the duke of Guerles as ye haue herde before and howe they departed And as the frenche men retourned it fortuned on the fronteres of Almayne on a nyght aboute mydnyght as the mone â—hone fayre certayne almayns robbers and pyllers that dyd sette nother by peace nor warre but alwayes sought for their aduauntage some pertaynynge to the lorde of Blaqueneuen and to sir Peter of Conebech they were well horsed and came and aduysed the french hoost and where they might haue most profyte and aduauntage and so passed by the lodgyng of the vycount of Meaulx and sawe no styringe and returned without any noyse makynge outher passynge or retournynge and came agayne to their enbusshe and shewed them what they had sene and foundeâ— and incontynente these almayns came and entred at their aduauntage in to the frenchmens lodgynges and ouerthrewe I can nat tell howe many and toke .xiiii. menne of armes prisoners There was taken the lorde of Viesuile and the lorde of Mountkarell This aduenture the frenche men hadde the same nyght by reason they made but easy watche and were but yuell ordred The next day whan these tydinges were knowen howe the lorde of Viesuille and the lorde of Mountkarell were taken the frenche men were sore displeased and toke better hede after Whan the frenche kynge departed fro the countrey of Iulyers none taryed behynde euery man drewe to their garysons sir Guylliam of Tremoyle and sir Geruays Furrande and all other and the braban soys by the waye euery man wente home And in the retournynge of the frenche men it was ordeyned by great delyberacion of couÌ„sayle that the frenche kynge who had ben vnder the
syr Geffrey of the chapell the lorde of Pierbuffier the lorde of Bonet sir Robert of Hanges sir Stephyn Sanxere sir Aubert de la mote sir Alaine of Champayn ser Geffrey Fresiers ser Rafe of Couffan the lorde of Bourke artysion sir Iohan of Crey bastarde sir Bertram de Sanache syr Pyncharde of Morlayne sir Trystram his brother syr Ayme of Cousay ser Ayme of Tourmay sir Foukes of Stanfours sir Iohan of Chateuas all these were knightê And there dyed of squiers Foucans of Liege Iohan of Isles Blondelet of Areton IohnÌ„ de la Mote BouÌ„beris floridas of Roque the lorde of Belles brother to Willyam Fondragay Water of Cauforus Iohan Morillen Pier of Malnes Gyllot Villaine IohnÌ„ of Lound IohnÌ„ Perier Iohan menne Iohan of Lauay and Willyam of Parke There dyed mo than a .lx. knightes and squyers whiche wysely to consyder was a great losse And if the lorde of Coucy had ben beleued this had nat fortuned for and they had kepte their lodgynges as they dyd before they had receyued no suche domage ¶ How after this aduenture and domage that fell to the crysten men by reason of this assaute before the towne of Aufryke that so many knightes squyers were deed they mayntayned them selfe more wysely after than they dyd before and coÌ„tynued their siege a longe season after Cap. C.lxxii OF this foresaid aduenture the knightes and squiers of the host were sore displeased and abasshed euery man bewayled his freÌ„des at nyght they drewe to their lodginges and made gretter watche than they had made before for dout of the sarazyns they passed that nyght without any other doÌ„mage Of this aduenture the sarazins knewe nothyng for if they had knowen what case the Christen men had been in they might haue done them great doÌ„mage but alwayes they feared the Christen men They durst neuer adueÌ„ture to auauÌ„ce theÌ„ selfe but by scrimysshing castynge of their dartes They that were moost renomed in armes of their partie was Agadyngore of Olyferne for he loued the doughter of the kyng of Thunes wherby he was moost fresshest and ioly in dedes of armes Thus contynued the siege before the towne of Aufryke In the realme of Fraunce Englande and in suche countreys as these knightes came fro they herde no maner of tidynges of them wherof their frendes were sore abasshed wyst nat what to saye nor thynke In dyuers places bothe in Englande Heynalte and in FrauÌ„ce there were processyoÌ„s made to pray to god for the ê“sperite of these christen men Thentencion of the christen men beyng at the siege was to abyde there tyll they had coÌ„quered the town of Affrike outher by force famyne or treatie The kyng of Cicyll wolde gladly it had ben so so wolde all other xpÌ„en yles adioynyng for this towne of Affrike was their vtter enemye and specially the genouoys toke great payne to serue the lordes to their pleasure to th eÌ„tent they shulde nat be anoyed by reason of their long siege To speke proê‘ly it was a marueylous enterprice came of an highe corage of the christen knightes and squyers and specially the Frenchmen who for all the losse of their knightes and squiers pouertie that they endured yet they coÌ„tynued styll the siege at their great costes chargê without ayde or coÌ„forte And the genouoys who were the first setters on that enterprice began than to faynt and dissymule for as the bruteran than they wolde haue ben gladde to haue made a treatie with the Sarazyns and to haue lefte the knyghtes of Fraunce and Englande and of other Christen countreys styll in that busynesse as I shall shewe you here after as it was enformed me ¶ Nowe at this present tyme lette vs leaue to speke of this siege of Aufryke and speke of a fest that the kynge of Englande made the same season in London ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of a feest and iustes made by the kyng of Englande in LoÌ„don whyle the Christen knyghtes and squyers were at the sege before the towne of Aufryke agaynst the sarazyns And howe this feest was publisshe in dyuers countreis and landes Cap. C.lxxiii YE haue herde before in this hystorie what a feest was holdeÌ„ at Paris whaÌ„ quene Isabell of Fraunce made there her first entre of the whiche feest tidynges sprede abrode in to euery couÌ„tre Than kynge â—icharde of Englande his thre vncles â—â—â—yng of this goodly fest at Paris by the reportes of suche knyghtes squyers of their owne as had ben at the same fest Ordayned a great fest to be holden at the cyte of LoÌ„don where there shulde be iustes .lx. knyghtes to abyde all coÌ„mers and with theÌ„ .lx. ladyes fresshely apparelled to kepe theÌ„ company these knightes to iust two dayes besyde sonday the chalenge to begyn the next sonday after the fest of saint Michaell As than in the yere of our lorde god M.CCC fourscore ten whiche sonday the said .lx. knightes .lx. ladyes at two of the clocke at after noon shuld issue oute of the towre of London and so to coÌ„e a long the cytie through Chepe and so to Smyth elde and that daye .xii. knightes to be there redy to abyde all knyghtê strauÌ„gers suche as wolde iust This soÌ„day was called the sonday of the fest of chalenge And on the moÌ„day next after the sayd .lx. knightes to be in the same place redy to iuste to abyde all coÌ„mers curtesly to ron with rokettes and to the best doer of the out syde shulde be gyuen hym for a price a riche crowne of golde and the best doer of the in syde duely examyned by the ladyes in the quenes chambre shulde haue for a price a riche gyrdell of golde And the tuesday folowynge the knightes shulde be agayne in the same place and to abyde all maner of squyers strauÌ„gers and other suche as wolde iust with rokettes and the best iuster on the out syde shulde haue for his price a courser sadled and the chiefe doer of the in syde shulde haue a faucon the maner of this fest was thus ordayned and deuised and herauldes were charged to crye and publysshe this feest in Englande in Scotlande in Almayne in FlauÌ„ders in Brabant in Heynalt and in Fraunce the heraldes departed some hider and some thider These tidyngê sprede abrode into dyuers couÌ„treys The heraudes had daye and tyme suffycient Knightes and squiers in dyuers couÌ„treys apparelled them selfes to be at this feest some to se the maner of Englande and some to iuste Whan these tidynges came in to Heynalt sir Wyllyam of Heynault erle of Ostrenaunt who was yonge and lyberall and desyrous to iuste Purposed in hym selfe to go to the feest in EnglaÌ„de to se and to honour his cosyns kyng Rycharde of Englande and his vncles whome he had neuer sene before He hadde great desyre to be aquaynted with them and desyred other knightes and squyers to kepe hym coÌ„pany and specially the lorde of Gomegynes bycause he was well acquaynted with
no man ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue spekyng of hym and speke of other busynesse as the mater requyreth ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the king of Englande gaue to the duke of Lancastre and to his heyres for euer the duchy of Acquytayne and howe the kyng prepared to go in to Irelande and the duke in to Acquytayne Cap. C.xcviii YE haue herde here before in this hystorie howe Trewce was taken bytwene Englande and Fraunce and there adhereÌ„ces and alyes bothe by see and by lande For all that yet there were robbers and pyllers in Languedocke whiche were straungers and of farre countreis As of Gascoyne of Bierne and of Almaygne And amonge other sir Iohan of Grayle bastarde sonne somtyme of the Captall of Beuses a yonge and an experte knyght was capitayne of the stronge castell of Bouteuyll These capitayns of the garysons in Bigore and marchynge on the realme of Arragone and on the fronters of Xaynton and in the marchesse of Rochell and of the garyson of Mortaygne were sore displeased that they myght natte ouer rynne to countrey as they were accustomed to do For they were straitlye commaunded on payne of greuous punysshment to do nothyng that shulde souÌ„de to the reproche of the peace IN this season it was agreed in Englande consyderynge that the kynge was yonge and that he hadde peace with all his ennemyes farre and nere excepte with Irelande For he claymed that lande of enherytauÌ„ce and his predecessours before him and was written kyng and lorde of Irelande And kynge Edwarde graunfather to kynge Rycharde made all wayes warre with the Irysshe men And to the entente that the yonge knyghtes and squyers of Englande shulde enploye them selfe in dedes of armes and therby to augment and encrease the honour of the realme It was concluded that kynge Rycharde of Englande shulde make thyder a voyage with puyssauÌ„ce of menne of warre And so to entre in to Irelande and nat to retourne agayne without they hadde an honourable composycion or conclusyon The same season it was concluded that the duke of Lancastre who had greatlye traueyled bothe by See and by lande for the augmentacyon and honour of the reralme of Englande shulde make another voyage with fyue hundred menne of armes and a thousande archers and to take shyppynge at Hampton or at Plommouthe and so to sayle to Guyane and to Acquitaygne And it was the entencyon of kynge Rycharde and by consent of all his counsayle that the duke of Lancastre shulde haue for euer to hym and to his heyres all the countrey of Acquitayne with the purtenaunces as kyng Edwarde his father had or any other kyngê or dukes of Acquitayne before tyme had holden optayned And as kyng Rycharde at that tyme had reserued always the homage that he shulde do to the kynge of Englande to any kynges to come after But as for all the obeysauÌ„ces rentes lordshypes and reuenewes shulde parteygne to the duke of LaÌ„castre and to his heyres for euer Of this the kyng made to hym a clere graunt confyrmed it vnder his writyng seale With this gyfte the duke of LaÌ„castre was well coÌ„tent good cause why For in that Duchy are landes and countreis for a great lorde to maynteygne his estate with all The Charter of this gyfte was engrosed and dewly examyned and paste by great delyberacyon and good aduyse of counsayle Beynge present the kynge and his two vncles the dukes of yorke and the duke of Gloucestre The erle of Salisbury the erle of Arundell the erle of Derby sonne to the duke of Lancastre And also therle Marshall erle of Rutlande the erle of NorthuÌ„berlande the erle of Nottyngham the lorde Thomas Percy the lorde Spensar the lorde Beamonde the lorde Willyam of Arundell The archebysshoppe of Caunterbury and the archebysshoppe of yorke and the bysshoppe of London and other all these were presente and dyuers othe Prelates and barownes of Englande Thanne the duke of Lancastre purposed to make his prouisyon to passe the See to go in to Acquitayne to enioye the gyfte that the kyng hadde gyuen hym In lykewise great prouisyon was made for the kynges voyage in to Irelande and lordes and other were apoynted suche as shulde passe the See with the kyng had warnyng to make theÌ„ redy ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the dethe of Quene Anne of Englande wyfe to kynge Richarde doughter to the kynge of Boesme Emperour of Almaygne Capi. C.xcix THus as I haue shewed great preparacyons was made at the portes and hauyns where as the kynge shulde take shyppepynge for to go in to Irelande And in lykewyse there as the duke of Lancastre shulde passe to go in to Acquitayne Their voyage was lette and taryed the space of two monethes lengar than it shulde haue ben and I shall tell you why THe same season that all these preparacyons was made the Quene named Anne tooke a sickenesse wherby the kynge and all his lordes were ryght sore troubled for she was so sore sicke that she passed out of this worlde at the feest of Penthecost the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and fourtene of whose dethe the kynge and all that loued her ladyes and damoselles were sore troubled and in great heuynesse She was buryed at Poules in London and her obseâ—es done after at good leysar for the king wolde haue it done sumptuously with great habuÌ„daunce of waxe tapers and torches so that the lyke hadde nat ben sene before The kynge wolde haue it so bycause she was the Emperours doughter of Rome and kyng of Almaygne The kynge loued her so entierly They were maryed yonge howe be it she dyed without issue Thus in one season the kynge the duke of Lancastre and the erle of Derby were wydowers And there was no spekynge of remaryeng nor the kyng wolde here no spekynge therof Thus the kynges voyage in to Irelande was somwhat retarded let howe be it the prouisyon and other lordes suche as shulde go with the kynge passed ouer the see and landed at Duuelyn whiche was alwayes Englysshe and there is an archebisshoppe who was with the kynge And anone after Mydsomer the kynge departed fro the marchesse of London and toke the waye throughe Wales huntyng and sportynge hym to forgette the dethe of his quene and suche as shulde go with the kynge sette forwarde Two of the kynges vncles Edmonde duke of yorke and Thomas duke of Gloucestre constable of Englande sette forwarde in great arraye so dyde other lordes as the erle of Rutlande sonne to the duke of yorke the erle marshall erle of Salisbury the erle of Arundell the lorde Wyllyam of Arundell the erle of Northumberlande lorde Percy lorde ThomÌ„s Percy his brother great Seneschall of Englande the erles of Deuonshyre and Notyngham and great nombre of other knightes and squiers Suche reserued as abode behynde to kepe the marchesse agaynst the scottes who were suche people as neuer kepte no truce nor promyse The lorde Iohan of Hollande erle of
Bartylmewes daye on a sonday in the foresaid yere And whan the Fresons sawe theÌ„ aproche they issued out vpon the dikes a sire thousande to haue lette the landynge of their enemyes Among the fresons ther was a woman apparelled all in blewe who all in a rage went fro the fresons and came nere to the heynowes within the shotte of a bowe Than she tourned her backe towarde the hey nowes and plucked vp her clothes and shewed her bare arse cryeng in her langage sers take this to your welcome As soone as they sawe the leudnesse of this woman they shot at her arowes and quarels so that she was stryken iâ—â—he legges and loynes The arowes came flyeng at her as thycke as snowe Than some lepte out of the shippes in to the water and ran after this folysshe woman with their swerdes and ouertoke her and hewed her in to small peces ThaÌ„ euery man issued out of their vessels and so came agaynst the fresons who receyued them right valyantly and putte them of with longe pykes longe staues bounde with yron To saye the trouthe in takyng of lande there was many dedes of armes done on bothe parties many slayne and sore hurte But biforce of the Englisshe archers and cros bowes of Heynaulte Hollande and zelande They wanne the dyke agaynst the fresons and vpon that dyke they araynged their baners in good order taryeng for their coÌ„pany their reuke was more than halfe a myle longe Than the Fresons that were putte fro the dykes came to their coÌ„pany who were mo than .xxx. thousande closed toguyder in a grounde dyked rounde aboute with a great depe dyke and it was nat so farre of but they myght well se their enemyes wheee they were raynged on the fyrst dyke Thus they contynued tyll all the heynowayes were a lande and all their baggage and certayne tentes reyred vp There they rested them that sondaye and the mondaye aduisynge the Fresons their enemyes In whiche two dayes dyuers scrymisshes were made and on the Tuesday bothe parties were redy Than certayne newe knightes were made and it was ordayned to fight with the fresons Than they auauuced forewarde in good order of batayle and their archers before them and amonge them than sowned trumpettes and clarions and so caÌ„e a fayre pase to passe ouer the dike Than the fresons came to defende the passage and the archers shotte agaynst them fiersly and the fresoÌ„s couered them selfes with targes and with the erthe of the dyke that was bytwene them their enemyes Howe be it they were so nere aproched that certayne of the holanders entred in to the dyke and made bridges with speres and pykes and so with valyant corage began to enuade the fresons who defended their force right valyantly and gaue suche strokes against them that wolde mouÌ„t vp out of the dyke that many were ouerthrowen downe agayne But the Heynowayes Frenche men Englysshe men Hollanders and zelanders were so well armed that the fresons coude do them no doÌ„mage nor hurt but cast them downe to the grounde There were suche noble dedes done and atchyued that it were impossible to shewe it the newe made knyghtes dyde nobly their deuoyre the Fresons defended marueylously They were great and bygge men but they were yuell armed many were barelegged and bare foted In this assaut the lorde Lygne the seneshall of Heynault and the lorde Iumont and dyuers other as they wente aboute this dyke They founde awaye wherby they passed ouer the dyke and so came on the fresons with the poyntes of their speres wherof the Fresons were fore abasshed so that dyuers of them lepte the dyke So perforce the Fresons were fayne to opyn and sparcle abrode here and there In this batayle the great freson was slayne and the other began to flye The chase was horryble and cruell for none was taken to rauÌ„some and specially the holanders slewe all they myght attayne vnto In so moche that suche as were taken by the Heynowes frenche men or Englysshe men the hollanders slewe them in their handes Amonge the hollanders the lorde Wyllyam of Oruenbourge and his two sonnes IohnÌ„ and Henry who were made knyghtes the same mornyng acquyted themselfe maruey lously well and slewe many Fresons for it semed well by them that they loued but litell the fresons Thus finally the Fresons were discoÌ„fyted and the moost parte slayne in the felde but fewe were takenne prisoners and caryed to Haye in Hollande and there were kepte a long season after The lorde of Cundren who was lorde of that couÌ„trey where the felde was was the mondaye before yelden to the duke Aubert and his two sonnes and yet for all that they were in the felde with the fresons The two sonnes were longe after with the duke After this disconfyture they entred in to the countrey of Condren toke townes and fortresses howe be it they coÌ„quered but lytell for the Fresons dyde theÌ„ great doÌ„mage by preuy encouÌ„trynges And whan they shulde take any prisoners they wolde neuer yelde but fought to the dethe sayeng they had rather dye free Fresons than to be vnder the subiectyon of any prince or lorde If any prisoners were taken there coude no raunsome be gotten for them for their frendes wolde nat quyte them out but rather suffre them to dye in prisone They wolde neuer quyte none of their people withoute it were to delyuer man for man And if they sawe that there were none of their people in prisone they wolde slee all their enemyes take no prisoner Thus about the ende of .v. wekes and that the heynous and other had taken and beaten downe certayne townes vyllages and fortresses of no great valure The leason beganne to waxe colde marueylously and rayned nerehaÌ„de euery day and the sees full of tempestes and wyndes The duke Aubert and his sonne consydringe the season purposed to returne in to base Frese fro whens they came and so in to Hollande the more easy to passe the colde wynter So they departed and came to Encuyse there gaue lycence to euery man to deê‘te and specially to the strauÌ„gers and payde theÌ„ truely their wages and thaÌ„ked them of their good ayde and seruyce Thus brake vp the iourney of Frese and had coÌ„quered but lytell all that season But within two yere after the sayd two noble princes assembled agayn the seconde tyme a great armye and wente in to Frese made a great coÌ„quest and dyd there many noble dedes of armes as ye shall here after But as nowe we shall leaue spekyng therof and declare the maner of the maryage of the kynge of Englande to the doughter of Fraunce ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the mariage of the kyng of Englande to the doughter of FraÌ„ce was ordred and howe the Frenche kyng delyuered his doughter to the kynge of Englande in his Tente by twene Arde Calys Cap. CC.xvi. YE haue herde howe the kyng of Englande was returned fro Calis in to Englande there
to Venyce and of the ysles they founde by the waye Capi. CC.xxiiii ¶ Howe after the retourne of the lordes of Fraunce the Frenche kynge entended what he myght to sette a concorde and peace in the churche Cap. CC.xxv ¶ Of the dethe of the duke of Gloucestre and of the erle of Arundell and howe the kynges vncles and the Londoners tooke the mater Cap. CC.xxvi ¶ Of the great armye that was made in the cytie of Reynes as well by the Emperoure as of the realme of Fraunce on the state of holy churche Cap. CC.xxvii ¶ Howe the erle Marshall in Englande apealed by guage of vttraunce therle of Derby sonne to the duke of Lancastre in the presence of the kynge and his counsayle Cap. CC.xxviii ¶ Howe kyng Richarde gaue senteÌ„ce wherby he banysshed out of Englande the erle of Derby forten yere and therle Marshall for euer Cap. CC.xxix ¶ Howe the erle of Derby departed fro LoÌ„don to go in to Fraunce and the erle Marshall went in to FlauÌ„ders and so in to Lombardy Cap. CC.xxx. ¶ Howe the lorde Guyllyam erle of Ostrenaunt sent to his cosyn the erle of Derby certayne messangers and howe the erle came to Parys and howe he was receyued Capi. CC.xxxi ¶ Howe the treatie that had been at Reynes bytwene the Frenche kynge and the kyng of Almaygne concernyng the vnyte of the churche was folowed and howe the bysshoppe of Cambrey was sent by the sayd kynges to Rome and to Auignon to them that wrote them selfe popes to th entent that they shuld depose themselfe fro their papalytees submytte them to the order of these two kynges Cap. CC.xxxii ¶ Howe the FreÌ„che kyng assembled the prelates and other noble meÌ„ or his realme with the vnyuersyte of Parys to take counsayle howe they shulde order pope Benedic at Auignon Cap. CC.xxxiii ¶ Of the answere of the duke of Lancastre to the knight sent to hym fro his sonne therle of Derby and howe the duke of Lancastre dyed Capi. CC.xxxiiii ¶ Howe the dethe of the duke of Lancastre was knowen in Fraunce the kynge of Englande wrote in maner of ioye to the Frenche kynge therof and wrote nothyng therof to therle of Derby who was the dukes son Capi. CC.xxxv ¶ Of the treatie of a maryage bytwene the erle of Derby the duke of Berreys doughter and howe kyng Richarde of Englande dyde lette it by the erle of Salisbury Cap. CC.xxxvi ¶ Howe kynge Richarde ordayned to go in to the marchesse of Irelande Cap. CC.xxxvii ¶ Howe the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury was sente in to Fraunce to therle of Derby fro the Londoners and other counsayls of Englande to haue hym to retourne in to Englande Cap. CC.xxxviii ¶ Howe the erle of Derby toke leaue of the Frenche kyng and went to his cosyn the duke of Bretayne Cap. CC.xxxix ¶ Howe the erle of Derby arryued in Englande and howe he was receyued of the LoÌ„doners Capi. CC.xl. ¶ Howe tidynges caÌ„e to kynges Rycharde or the coÌ„myng of therle of Derby with great puissaunce Capi. CC.xli ¶ Howe kyng Richarde of Englande resined the crowne and the realme in the handes of the erle of Derby duke of Lancastre Cap. CC.xliiii ¶ Of the coronacyon of kynge Henry duke of Lancastre by the consent of the realme the maner of the feest Cap. CC.xlv ¶ Howe newes of the takyng of kyng Rycharde was knowen in Fraunce by the commynge thyder of the lady Coucy and howe the Frenche kynge was displeased Cap. CC.xlvi ¶ Howe the Frenche kyng reysed vp an armye to sende vpon the tronters of EnglaÌ„de Cap. CC.xlviii ¶ Of the dethe of kynge Richarde of Englande and howe the â—reuse bytwene Englande and Fraunce was renewed and also of the deposycion of pope Benedic at Auignon Cap. CC.xlix ¶ Finis ¶ Howe sir IohnÌ„ Bourchier gouernour of Gaunt during the truse had newe vitayled the towne of Gaunt And howe a maner of people called comporsels dyde moche hurte in the countre Capitulo Primo SIr IohnÌ„ Bourchier who had the gouernyng of GauÌ„t vnder kynge Rycharde of Englande the capiteyns of the coÌ„montie of the towne as Peter de Boyes fraÌ„ces Atreman and Peterle Myttre They prouyded surely for the warre and duryng the truse they had greatly vitayled and refresshed the towne with all prouision parteyning to the warre and also the castell of Gauure and other places vnder their rule In the same season there was a coÌ„pany of rutters gadered togyder in the wode of Respayle and there they had fortifyed a house so that it coude nat lightly be wonne They were people chased out of Alos of Grantmount and out of other places in FlauÌ„ders and had lost all that euer they had and wyst nat how to lyue but by robbyng and pillyng wheresoeuer they coude gete it so that there was as than no spekynge but of these pygges of Respayle This woode is bytwene Reguays and Grauntmount Anghien and Lysen they dyde moche hurt in the lordship of A the in the lande of Floberge and of Lyssues and in the lande of Danghien and these pyllers were borne out by them of Gaunt for vnder the coloure of them they dyde moche hurt as in robbynge and sleynge They wolde go in to Heynalte and take men and women in their beddes and leade them to their forteresse and raunsome theÌ„ at their pleasure they made warre to euery man The capitayne of A the who was called Baudrius dela Mocte layde often tymes awayte for them but he coude neuer trappe them they knewe so many shyftes They were so feared in the froÌ„ters of Heynalte and Brabant that none durst go that waye in to the countre THe duke of Burgoyne on the other parte for the warâ— that he loked for he garnysshed and prouided for all his townes in FlaÌ„ders There was capitayne of Bruges the lorde of Guystelles and of Courtrey sir Iohan Ieumount and sir Willyam of Namure As than sir WillmÌ„ of Guystels was lorde of Dan and of Courtray sir Iohan Ieumount and sir Peter of Neyper In lykewise in all the townes on the fronter of Fraunce there were men of warre set by the duke of Burgoyne In the towne of Ardenbourcke there was in garyson sir Guy of Pontaillyer marshall of Burgoyn sir Ryflarte of Flaunders sir Iohan of Ieumont sir Henry of Coynge the lorde of Montigny in Ostrenant the lorde of Longueuall sir Iohan Barnet sir Peter Baylleull Philpot Gany Raoleyn dela Foley and dyuers other These men of armes were two hundred and so they toke aduyse toguyder and were in wyll to ryde in to the foure craftes and distroy that countre for moche vitayle came fro thens in to GauÌ„â— And so on a day they departed and toke that way and the same day that the frenche men were rydden forthe there was rydden forthe out of Gaunt a two thousande men mete for the warre and FrauÌ„ces Arreman was their capitayne And so sodainly they mette with the frenchmen in a village and whan
knowe nat howe to saue my selfe if they owe me any yuell wyll But I haue done no trespasse to my nephue wherby that I ought to flye awaye so alwayes they of the busshement drewe nerer nerer streight vpon hym There was a knight of Almaygne with sir Barnabo and whan he sawe this company approche towarde his maister He had sir Barnabos swerde in his haÌ„de and drewe it oute of the sheth and tooke it his maister and sayd Sir defende your selfe and than the knight drewe out his owne swerde lyke a valyant man to stande at his defence how be it all aueyled hym no thyng For incoÌ„tynent he was enuyroned and his mayster also with their ennemyes and the sayd knight was theâ— slayne bycause he putte hym selfe to defence wherof sir Galeas was afterwarde ryght sore displeased So sir Barnabo was there taken for he made no defence nor none of his men so he was brought to a castell wheâ— his nephue was who was gladde of his comynge The same day ser Barnabos wyfe and chyldren were taken who were to mary and they were kepte in Myllayne in prison Than sir Galeas toke all the seignories townes and castels that parteyned to sir Barnabo in all Lombardy to his possessyon and his vncle dyed I can nat saye howe I thynke he was lette blode in the necke accordynge to the blode lettyng in Lombardy whan they wyll auauÌ„ce a mannes ende Anone these tidynges sprang abrode some were glad therof and some were sorte For this sir Barnabo hadde done in his tyme many cruell and horryble dedes and pytuous iustyce withoute reason so that but fewe people complayned his trouble but sayde He hadde well deserued it thus ended sir Barnabo who had in his dayes raygned puissauntly in Lombardy ¶ Nowe lette vs retourne to the duke of Burbons and the Erle of Marchesse army what they dyde in Poictou and in Lymosyn THey depted fro Moleyns in Burbonoyse and so rode forthe with great reuell And the duke had in his company his nephewe Iohan of Harcourte The specyall nombre of his army came out of Berry Auuergne Poictou Rouergue Xaynton and Lymosyn And they met togider at Nyorte a .xii. leages fro Poicters In this meane season sir WyllmÌ„ of Lynacke a right valyant knyght seneschall of Xaynton who was as than gouernoure of Myllayne in those marchesse and so he came in to Angoulinoys with a certayne nombre of men of armes a two hundred He rested before the castell of the Egle in the whiche were Englishemen And all the wynter and somer past before had greatly domaged the countre than this sir Wyllyam lyghted a fote and so dyd all his coÌ„pany and valyantly assayled the castell It was a sore assaute and well contynued for they within defeÌ„ded them selfe for feare of their lyues Sir Wylliam hym selfe that day dyde right nobly and gaue ensample howe his men shulde assayle withoute any sparynge This assaut was so well contynued that the Castell was taken byforce the Frenche men entred in by ladders all that were within slayne and taken Thus this sir Wylliam of Lygnac dyde the first enterprise in that season abydinge for the duke of Burbone and his route _wHan the duke of Burbone was come to Nyorte and his company There he founde a great nombre of men of warre abydinge for hym And there was redy his cosyn the erle of Marche with a great noÌ„bre and also the Vycount of Tonnere and sir Henry of Thouars seneschall of Lymosyn the lorde of Pons the lorde of Parteney the lorde of Thouars the lorde of Puyssaunce and dyuers other barons of Poytou and of Xaynton And than sir William of Lignacke came to the duke who had newly wonne the Castell of the Egle wherfore the duke gaue hym great thankes Whan all these men of warre were assembled toguyder they were a seuyn hundred speares besyde the Geneuoys and other varlettes They were in nombre two thousande fightynge men Thasie they toke aduyse whyder they shulde go outher to Vertuell or to Taylboure or to Mountlewe And all thynges consydered they determyned to go to Mountlewe by cause it was a castell standyng on the laundes of Burdeaur They thought if they might get that castellâ— all other shulde be the more easyer to wynne And also than shulde no man come out of Burdeaur without their knowledge so they rode thyderwarde and passed Angolesme and so came before Mountlewe and they layd their siege The chefe leaders of all the dukes hoost was sir Iames Pounsarte and Iohan Bonne Launce Incontynent they made redy to assyle the castell and so enuyroned the castell aboute and gaue assaulte with great courage and they within defended them selfe valiantly Surely there was an harde assaute well contynued and many a proper dede of armes done For the frenchmen dilygently mouÌ„ted vp on their ladders and fought with daggers hande to hande on the walles So moche dyde the frenche men that by pure assaute they wan the castell and they within slayne There were but a fewe that were saued Whan the freÌ„ the men had possession of MouÌ„tlewe they new lye furuysshed it with men of warre and other prouisyon And than they toke the waye to tayl bourcke of the whiche forteresse Dynaudon of Perat was capitayne a proper man of armes he made but lytell counte of the frenchmen and whyle the duke laye at siege before this castell his company wanne two lytell fortresses whiche had sore harryed the fronters of Poictou Lymosyn by reason of the Englyssâ—men that were in them These two fortresses were called Troucet and Archat and all that were within were slayne and the castelles delyuered to theÌ„ of the countre and they dyde beate theÌ„ downe to the grounde ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the bridge of Taylbourcke was wonne by the frenche men and howe the Englysshe men fortifyed themselfe against the comyng of the frenche men And howe the admyrall of Fraunce and his rout arryued at Edenborowe in Scotlande Cap. secundo THus the siege was layd before Tailbourcke by four bastedes â–ª there was in Tail bourcke a bridge on the ryuer of Charent and the Englysshe men and Gascoyns had well fortifyed it so that all the season before they coude no shyppe passe to Rochell nor in to Xaynton without dauÌ„ger or by truage Than the frenche lordes aduysed to wynne the bridge to haue the lesse to do and to lye the more surer in their bastydes They caused to come to Rochellshippes by the ryuer of Charent and in theym certayne Geneuoys and crosbowes and made them to scrymysshe with them of the bridge There was a sore assaute for the Englysshe men and gascons had ryght well fortifyed the bridge and valyantly dyde defende theÌ„selfe So they were assayled by lande and by ryuer ¶ Iohan the sonne of the erle of Harcourt was there made knight and reysed his baner the duke of Burbone his vncle made him knight This assault was well coÌ„tinued and many a feate
other countreis The yonge kynge enclyned lightely to his wordes for he loued him with all his hart bicause they had been norisshed vp toguyder And this erle had great alyaunces with dyuers lordes and knightes of Englande for he dyde all his maters by the counsayle of sir Symon Burle sir Robert Treuelyen ser Nicholas Brambre sir Iohan Beauchampe sir Iohan Salisbury and sir Mychaell de la pole And also sir Thomas Tryuet and sir Wylliam Helmon were named to be of the same ê‘te so that by the dyffernes and discorde bitwene the kynge and his vncles and the nobles and commons of the realme many yuels came therby in EnglaÌ„de as ye shall here hereafter in this hystorie IT was nat longe after that the erle of Cambridge departed out of Portyngale but that the kynge Feraunt felle sicke and so contynued a hole yere and dyed than he had no mo chyldren but the Quene of Spayne Than kynge Iohan of Castell was enformed of his deth and howe that the realm of Portyngale was fallen in to his haÌ„des and howe that he was ryghtfull heyre thervnto by reason of the dethe of the kynge Sother was dyuers couÌ„sayls kept on that mater and some sayd howe that the Portingales were so harde harted people that they wold nat be had without it were by conquest And in dede whan the portyngales sawe howe they were without a kyng than they determyned by counsayle to sende to a bastarde brother of the kynges a sage and a valyant man called Deuyse but he was a man of relygton and was mayster of the hospytals in all the realme They sayd they had rather be vnder the rule of this maister Denyse than vnder the rule of the kynge of Castell for they reputed hym no bastarde that hath good corage to do well Whan this mayster Denyse vnderstode the coÌ„mens wyll of foure chiefe cyties of Portyngale for they hadde great affectyon to crowne hym kyng wherof he had great ioye and so wrote secretely to his frendes and came to Lurbone whiche is the kay of the realme The people of the towne receyued hym with great ioye and demauÌ„ded of hym if they crowned him kyng wheder he wolde be good to theÌ„ or nat and kepe the lande in their fraunchese And he aunswered and sayd he wolde be to theÌ„ as they desyred and that they had neuer a better kynge than he wolde be Than they of Luxbone wrote to Connubres to Pount de portugale and to them of Dourke These were the kayes of the Realme and so they determyned to crowne to their kyng this mayster Denyse who was a sage a valyant man and of good gouernauÌ„ce and was brother to kyng Ferant for they sawe well the realme coude nat be longe without a kyng as well for feare of the spay mardes as of the myscreaÌ„tes of Granado and of Bongie who marched on them So these sayde townes and certayne of the lordes of the lande enclined to him but some of the lordê sayd that it was nat mete a bastarde to be crowned kyng And the people of the good townes said that it shulde be so for of necessyte they must so do sithe they had none other and seyng that he was a valyant and a sage man bothe in wyâ—te and in dedes of armes And they toke ensample by kynge Henry who was crowned kyng of Castell by electyon of the countrey and for the coÌ„mon profyte and that was done kynge Peter beynge a lyue So thus the electyon abode on this maister Denyse and solemynely he was crowned in the Cathedrall churche of Connubres by the accorde and puyssaunce of the coÌ„mons of the realme And there he sware to kepe iustyce to do ryght to his people and to kepe and maynteyne their frauncheses and to lyue and dye with them wherof they hadde great ioye Whan these tidynges came to the hearyng of don Iohan kyng of Castell he was sore displeased therwith and for two causes The one was bycause his wyfe was enheryter there the other bycause the people by election hadde crowned maister Denyse kynge there Wherfore this kyng Iohan toke tytell to make warr and to demauÌ„de of them of Luxbone the soÌ„me of two hundred thousande florens whiche Ferant promysed hym whan he toke his doughter to his wyfe So than he sende the Erle of Terme therle of Ribydea and the bysshoppe of Burges in to Portyngale as his ambassadours to them of Luxbone whan they were at saynt prayne the laste towne of Castell towarde Luxbone Than they sent an haraulde to the kyng and to them of Luxbone to haue a saue conducte to go and come and to furnysshe their voyage whiche was graunted lightly so they came to Luxbone and so the towne assembled their counsayle toguyder and the ambassadours shewed why they were come thyder and finally sayde ye sirs of Luxbone ye ought iustely nat to marueyle if the kyng our souerayne lorde demaundeth of you the soÌ„me of money that ye are bounde for And is nat coÌ„tent that ye haue gyuen the noble crowne of Portyngale to a clerke a man of relygion and a bastarde It is a thynge nat to be suffred for by rightfull election there is non nerer to the crowne thaÌ„ he And also ye haue done this without the assent of the nobles of the realme Wherfore the kyng our maister saythe that ye haue done yuell And without that ye shortely do remedy the make he wyll make you sharpe warâ— To the whiche wordes don Feraunt Gallopes de vyle fois a notable burgesse of the cyte answered and sayd Sirs ye reproche vs greatly for our electyon but your owne election is as moche reprouable for ye crowned in Spaygne a bastarde sonne to a iewe And it is clerely knowen that to the ryghtfull election your kynge hath no right to the realem of Portyngale for the right resteth in the doughters of kyng Peter who be in Englande maryed bothe ConstauÌ„ce and Isabell maryed to the duke of I an castre to therle of Cambridge Wherfore sers ye may departe whan ye wyll and retourne to them that sent you hyder and say that our electyon is good whiche we wyll kepe and other kyng we wyll haue none as long as he lyste to be our kyng And as for the soÌ„me of money that ye demauÌ„de of vs we say we are nothyng bouÌ„de therto take it of them that were bouÌ„de therfore and of suche as had the profyte therof At this answere the kynge of Portyngall was nat presentâ— howbeit he knewe well what shulde be sayd And whaÌ„ these ambassadours sawe they coude haue non other answere they toke their leaue and departed and retourned to Cyuell where they lafte the kyng and his couÌ„sayle to whom they shewed all the said answere Than the kyng of Spayne toke couÌ„sayle what was best to do in this mater Than it was determyned that the kyng of Portyngale shulde be desied and howe that the kyng of Spayne had a good
and assembled men of warre for the great desyre that I had to se hym I departed fro my garyson with a .xii. speares and I fell in company with sir Iohan Ioell sir Iaques Planchyn And without any busynesse or reencounter we came to the captall I thynke sir Iohan ye haue all redy the knowlege what became of that busynesse That is true quod I for there was taken the captall of Beusz and sir Iohan Ioell slayne and sir Iaques Planchyn That is true quod the Bâ—tefoyle of Manlyon there I was also taken howe be it I fortuned metely well ther was a cosyn of myne who was called Bernard of Terryde he dyed after in Portyngale at the batayle of Iuberot this Bernarde who was as than vnder sir Aymenon of Pomyers he toke me and rauÌ„somed me in the felde at a thousande frankes gaue me a good sauecoÌ„ducte to retourne to my garyson of Bec Dalyer assoone as I came to my castell I sent a seruaunt of myne with a thousande frankes to my cosyn to Parys and had my quytaunce for the same The same season sir Iohan Aymery an Englysshe knight and the greattest capitayne that we had rode forthe costyng the ryuer of Loyre to come to Charite and he was encouÌ„tred by abusshment of the lorde RugemoÌ„t and the lorde of Wodnay by some of the archprestes men They were farre stronger than he and so there he was taken and ouerthrowen raunsomed to a .xxx. thousande frankes which he payed incontynent Of his takyng and losse he was sore displeased and sware that he wold neuer entre in to his owne garyson tyll he had won agayne as moche as he had lost Than he assembled togyder a great nombre of companyons and came to Charyte on Loyre and desyred the capitayns ther as Lamyt and Carsnell and the burge of Piergourt and me for I was there as than to sporte me Ther he desyred vs all to ryde forthe with hym We demaunded of hym wheder he wolde ryde By my faythe ê™ he we wyll passe the ryuer of Loyre at saint Thybalte and lette vs scale and assayle the towne castell of SaÌ„xere For quod he I haue sworne and auowed that I wyll nat entre in to no fortresse that I haue tyll I haue sene the chyldren of Sanxere And if we maye gette that garyson and the erles chyldren within IohnÌ„ Loys and Robert Than we shall be well reuenged and therby we shal be lordes of the countre and I thynke we shall lightly come to oure entent for they take no hede of vs and this lyeng styll here dothe vs no maner of ê“fyte That is true sir quod we so all we promysed to ryde with hym and incontynent we made vs redy And so it fortuued the all oure purpose was knowen in the towne of Sanxere The same tyme ther was â–ª there a capitayn a valyant squyer of But goyne of the lowe marchesse called Guyssharte Albygon who toke great hede to kepe well the towne and castell of Sanxer and the chyldren within This sir Guysshart had a moÌ„ke to his brother of the abbey of saynt Thybalt whiche is nere to Sanxere This monke was sent to Charyte on the ryuer of Loyre for his brother to beare a certayn rauÌ„some thider that the townes owed by couynant so we toke no hede to him he knewe all our ententes howe I can nat tell and all our names that were capitaynes there and what nombre we were of and what houre we shulde departe and howe we were determyned to passe the ryuer at the porte of saynt Thybalte And so he retourned and went to Sanxere and shewed his brother all oure myndes Than therle there and his bretherne prouyded for remedy and they sente for knightes squyers of Berry and Burbonoyse and to the capitayns garysons therabout so that they were a foure hundred speares of good men of warre and made abusshment of two hundred speares without the towne of Sanxere in a wode and we knewe nothyng of all this and at the sonne goynge downe we departed fro Charyte and rode a good pase tyll we came to Penly and at the porte there we hadde redy bootes barges to passe vs ouer oure horses And so we paste ouer the ryuer of Loyre as we had ordayned and we were ouer by mydnight and bycause the daye came on we ordayned a hundred speares to abyde there to kepe oure horses and bootes and the remynaunt of vs passed forthe forâ— by the frenche busshment Whan we were paste a quarter of a myle than they brake out of their busshment and rode to them that we had lefte behynde vs at the ryuer syde anone they had disconfyted them and all slayne or taken our horses wonne and the botes arested and than they mounted on our horses and came after vs on the spurres and were as soone in the towne as we They cryed our lady of SaÌ„xere for the erle was there hym selfe with his men and his bretherne sir Loyes and sir Robert had made the busshement So thus we were inclosed on all partes for they a hors backe assoone as they caÌ„e to vs they a lighted afote and assayled vs fiersly And the thynge that moost greued vs was we coude nat enlarge our selfe to fight we were in suche a narowe waye closed on bothe sides with hay hedges and vyngardes also some of our enemyes suche as knewe the couÌ„tre were rydden about and gette in to the vyngardes and dyd hurt vs sore with castyng of stones and we coude nat go backe moche payne to gette to the towne it stode so hygh on a mouÌ„tayne So we were sore traueyled sir IohnÌ„ Aymery was hurt our souerayne capitayn by the haÌ„des of sir Guysshart Albygon who toke hym prisoner had moche a do to saue his lyfe he put hym in to a house in the towne and made hym to be layde on a bedde and sayd to the owner of the house kepe well this prisoner and se his woundes staunched for if he lyue he shall paye me .xx. thousande frankes so sir Guysshart lefte his prisoâ—er and retourned to the batayle and quytte hymselfe lyke a good man of armes there was with the chyldren of SaÌ„xere come thider to their ayde and to the countreis sir Guysshart dalphyn the lorde Marney sir Gerarde and sir Wylliam Burbone the lorde of Cousant the lorde de la Pier the lorde de la Palys the lorde of Neutry the lorde de la coise and the lorde of Syette and dyuers other I say sir to you this was a batayle right fell and cruell we defeÌ„ded our self as long as we might so that on bothe partê there were slayne dyuers persones and many hurte for by that they shewed they had rather haue taken vs a lyue than to slee vs and finally we were all taken Carsayle launt Nandon le bourge de Pyergourt Espyot the burge of Lespare Angerot le mouÌ„t gyse
And he hadde passed bytwene the castell of Monestrole and Mountfaucon and so came aboute the countre towarde a vyllage called Batery bytwene Nonnay and saynt Iulyane And in the wode there was a streyght passage whiche he musteâ— nedes passe or els to go by Nonnay at whiche streight laye the lorde of Voult with two hundred speares and Loyes Rambalt toke no hede tyll he was among them Than the lorde of Voulte who was redy to do his enterprise layde the speare in the rest and came cryinge la Voulte and dasshed in among the companyons who rode abrode withoute good arraye And so at the first metyng many of them were ouerthrowen to the erthe and Loyes RaÌ„baulte was stryken fro his horse by a squyer of Auuergne called Amblardon so he toke hym prisoner and all other taken or slayne none scaped And ther they fouÌ„de in boiettes a thre M. frankes whiche Loyes RaÌ„balte had receyued at Anse for trybute of certayne vyllages therabout wherof they were gladde for euery man had his parte And whan Lymosin sawe Rambalt this trapped he came before hym and sayd in reproche Loyes Loyes here fauteth company Remembre ye of the blame shame that ye dyde put me to at Bride for your maystres I wolde haue thought lytell for a woman ye wolde haue put me to that ye dyd For if ye had done as moche to me I wolde nat haue been so angry for two suche coÌ„panyoÌ„s in armes as we were myght haue past our tyme well ynoughe with one woman With those wordes the lordê laughed but Loyes RaÌ„balt had no sporte herat By the takyng thus of this Loyes RaÌ„balte Bride was delyuered to the seneshall of Auuergne for after they had lost their capitayne and the chefe men they had they wolde kepe it no leÌ„gar And in lykewise so dyde they of Anse and other fortresses in Velay Forestes that was on their parte for they within any of these for tresses were right ioyouse to yelde vp their holdes to saue their lyues Than Loyes RaÌ„balte was brought to Nonnay and there set in prisone and the freÌ„che kyng had great ioye of his takyng as I herde reported he was beheeded at Newcastell besyde Auygnon Thus Loys Rambalt dyed god haue mercy on him Thus sir quod the Bastot of Manlyon I haue holde you with talkyng to passe awaye the night how be it sir all that I haue said is true Sir quod I with all my herte I thanke you Sir I trust your sayenges shall nat be loste For sir god suffre me to retourne in to myne owne countre all that I haue herde you saye and all that I haue sene and founde in my voyage I shall put it in remembraunce in the noble cronycle that the erle of Bloys hath set me a warke on For I shall write it cronycle it by the grace of god to the entent it shal be in parpetuall remembraunce Than the Bourge of Compayne called Erualton began to speke wolde gladly that I shulde parceyue by hym that he wolde I shulde recorde his lyfe and of the Bourge Englysshe his brother and howe they had done in Auuergne and in other places But as than he had no leysar for the watche of the castell sowned to assemble all meÌ„ that were in the towne to come vp to the Castell to suppe with the erle of Foiz Thanne these two squyers made them redy and lyghted vp torches and so we wente vp to the Castell and so dyde all other knightes and squyers that were lodged in the towne ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Of the state or ordynaunce of the erle of Foyz and howe the towne of yran rebelled for the great traueyle domage and outrage that was don there to Cap. xxxi OF the astate and order of the erle of Foiz can nat be to moche spoken nor praysed For the season that I was at Ortaise I fouÌ„de hym suche and moche more than I can speke of But whyle I was there I sawe herde many thynges that turned me to great pleasure I sawe on a ChristeÌ„mas day sytting at his borde four bysshoppes of his countre two Clementynes and two Vrbanystes the bysshoppe of Pauyers the bysshoppe of Lescalle Clementynes they satte highest Than the bysshoppe of Dayre and the bysshop of Rone on the fronters of Burdeloys and Bayon Vrbanestes Than satte therle of Foiz and than the vycount of Roquebertyn of Gascone and the vycount of Brunyquell the vycount of IosserauÌ„t and a knight of EnglaÌ„d of the duke of Lancasters who as than laye at Narbone the duke had sent hym thyder The knight was called sir Wyllyam Wylloughby And at another table satte fyue abbottes two knightes of Arragon called sir Raymonde de Mount florentyne and sir Marten de Ruane And at another table satte knightes and squyers of Gascone and of Bigore First the lorde of Daychin than sir Gaylari de la Mote sir RaymoÌ„de of Newcastell the lorde of ChamoÌ„t Gascone the lorde of Compane the lorde de la Layne the lorde of Mountferant sir Wylliam Bernarde sir Peter of Corton the lorde of Valenchyn and sir Aungalle named the Basell at other tables knightes of Bierne a great noÌ„bre and the cheife stewardes of the halle were sir Espaygne of Leon sir Siquart de Boyes Verdune sir Nonnans of Nonnallys and sir Peter of Vaulx of Bierne and the two Erles bastarde bretherne serued at the table sir Erualton Guyllame and sir Peter of Byerne And the erles two sonnes sir yuan of Leschell was shewer and sir Gracyen bare his cuppe And there were many Mynsttelles as well of his owne as of straungers and eche of them dyde their deuoyre in their faculties The same day therle of Foiz gaue to harauldes and minstrelles the soÌ„me of fyue hundred fraÌ„kes and gaue to the duke of Tourayns mynstrelles gownes of clothe of golde furred with Ermyns valued at two hundred frankes This dyner endured foure houres Thus I am gladde to speke of the erle of Foyz for I was there in his house a xii wekes and well entreated in all thynges whyle I was there I might lerne and here tidynges of all countreis And also the gentyll knyght sir Espaygne of Leon in whose company I entred in to the countre He caused me to be acquaynted with knyghtes and squyers suche as coude declare to me any thyng that I roude demaunde For I was enformed of the busynesse of Portingale and of Castell what maner of warre they had made and of the batayls and rencounters bytwene those two kynges and their assysters of whiche busynesses I shall make iuste report yE haue herde here before Howe kynge don Iohan of Castell hadde besieged the castell of Luxbone the king Iohan of Portyngale therin whom the good townes had crowned to their kyng for his valyantnesse howe be it in dede he was a bastarde And also ye haue herde how the same kyng sende in to Englande to the duke of Lancastre and to the erle of
assawte the Frensshe men entred in to the castel of Conual theyr swordes in theyr handes chasynge theyr enemyes there were many slayne the other taken then euery maÌ„ entred in at the gates then it was demaunded of syr Gaultyer what sholde be done with theÌ„ that were taken By saynt George sayd he I wyll they be all hanged and incontynent his commaundement was done and Espaygnoy let began fyrst So the lordes dyned in the castel and the other people in the towne there they taryed all that dayâ— And syr Gaultyer delyuered agayne to the lorde of Conuall his towne castell then ordeyned to departe thens THus after the takynge of the castell of Conuall as ye haue herde the Frenssh men wente to another holde called Mastull whiche had done grete domage to the countrey with other there they made assawte they wtin defended themselfe but that was not longe for by clene assawte they were wonne and the castell also and all that was within slayne hanged vp And when they of Ratchfort and of other castelles knewe howe syr Gaultyer had wonne so many castelles and that he toke none to mercy but outher slayne or hanged they doubted moche for comynge to the same ende wherfore they departed in the nyght tyme I can not tell whether they wente vnder the grounde or aboue for bytwene the castell of Rochefort and the castell of Royr were caues vnder the erthe for auncyently they perteyned to Raynolde of Mountalban So the Frensshmen founde these castelles clene voyde when they came thyder then they newely repeopled it with men of warre prouysyon Then they toke theyr way towarde Tholous to go in to Bygore for on the fronter of Tarbe there were two castelles the one called Thedos Iulyan and the other Nauaret whiche gretely trauayled the countrey and the good towne of Tarbe and the londes of the lorde Dauchyn WHen syr Gaultyer of Pasac and the lordes of Fraunce and of Languedoc had well refresshed theym in the Cyte of Tholous then they departed toke the waye in to Bygore and so came before the castell of ledos Iuly aÌ„ there taryed sayd they wolde goo no further tyll they had wonne it thyder came to syr Gaultyer of Pasac the Seneshal of Nobâ—san perteynynge to the Erle of Foys for syr Gaultyer had sente for hym to helpe to dryue out of the countrey the pyllers and robbers who had renne as well in the countrey of Nobessan as in other places Also the Erle of Foys consented that he sholde so do or elles he durst not haue done so they were before dos IulyaÌ„ xv dayes or they had it that castell was stronge and a good capytayne therin a squyer of Gascoyn called Bruer de Brome ¶ Howbeit they at the last hadde it not by assawte but by treaty they within departed theyr lyues and goodes saued And also they were falsely conuayed to Lowrde by a squyre called Bertram of Mountdyghen And when these lordes of Fraunce had Dos Iulyen then they toke aduyse whether they myght kepe it styll or rase it downe to the erthe then it was counsayled to bete it downe bycause of them of Lowrde who were crafty and subtyle fearynge that wheÌ„ they sholde be gone that they wolde wynne it agayne so it was better downe and as yet the stones lye on a hepe lykely neuer to be buylded agayne thus became of Dos Iulyan theÌ„ they wente before Nauaret wherin there was also companyons adueÌ„turers who had kepte it more then a yere when they knewe howe they of dos IulyaÌ„ were departed in lyke wyse dyde they and had a saufconduyte wente to lowrde whiche was theyr chefe refuge for they knewe well no man wolde seke theÌ„ there with out they wolde lese theyr payne for the castell of Lowrde was impossyble to be taken by force WHen the Frensshe men had rased the castel of Dos IulyaÌ„ then they wente to Nauaret and founde it all voyde then it was ordeyned to be beten downe so it was Wherof they of Tarbe were nothynge myscontent for that garyson had done theÌ„ grete domage then they wente to the castell of Dauchen in Bygore standynge amonge the mountaynes in the entre of Byerne And there they were a .xv. dayes and in that season made dyuers assawtes and wanne the base courte and al theyr horses but there was a stronge towre on the rocke that coulde not be wonne And wheÌ„ the lordes sawe howe they lost there but theyr payne that Wyllyam Morenton who kepte the holde wolde not yelde it vp nor sell it nor herkeÌ„ to no treatye theÌ„ they departed retourned to Tarbe then syr Ganltyer of Passac gaue leue to all his men of warre to departe they were payde of theyr wages or had suffycyent sygnement so that they were pleased he wente to Carcasson and theraboute and refresshed hym And whyle he lay there tydynges came to hym out of Fraunce and a coÌ„maundement fro the kynge that he sholde drawe to the garyson of Bounteuyll Xainton on the marches of Burdeloys Poyctou whiche garyson was kepte by a capytayne called Saynt Foy a gascoyne And it was sayd in fraunce that syr IohnÌ„ Harpedan seneshall of Burdeaus made a grete assemble of men of warre at Lyborne to rayse the bastydes that they of Poictou of Xainton hadde layde before Bounteuyll To the kynges commaundement obeyed syr Gaultyer as it was reason and toke with hym a .lx. speres and a C. crosse bowes Geneuoys and so departed fro Carcasson passed by Rouergue Agen and costed Pierregourt and so came to Bounteuyll and founde there the seneshalles of Rochel of Poictou of Pierregourt and of Dagen and a grete nombre of men of warre ¶ In farre countres it maye be well meruayled of the noble royalme of Fraunce therin is so many Cytees townes castelles whiche be without nombre and that as well in farte partyes therof as in the harte of the royalme ye shall fynde goynge from the cyte of Tholous to the cyte of Burdeaus stondynge on the ryuer of Garon Fyrst Langurant Rions Caldiac Bangou saynt Macayre the castell of Dorthe Candoch Geronde larull myllant saynt Basyll Marmande CoÌ„mont Tannus Lemnas Dagenes Montour Agyllon thouars porte saynt Mary clermont Agen ambyllart castell sarasyne Iehedo verdun and vell mote and then takynge the way by the ryuere of Dordone whiche falleth in to Garon ye shall fynde these castelles on the one syde on the other Brouech Frousach liborne saynt Milion Chatellon the mote saynt Pesant Montremell saynt Foy Bergerach Mortquinormons and the castell oftene And these castels some were Englysshe some Frensshe so contynewed all the warre season the Gascoynes wolde haue had it none otherwyse to haue chosen for in .xx. yere they neuer made othe nor promyse to ony man true it was of the Gascoynes Fyrst by theyr meanes kynge Edwarde had chefe possessyon of Gascoyne and also the prynce his
Tracon syr Hughe Spenser the lorde Wylloughby the lorde Braston syr wyllyaÌ„ Fermiton sir IohnÌ„ Dambricourt syr Hughe Hastynges syr Thomas Wancestre syr Mauburyn Liniers syr Loys of Rochestre syr IohnÌ„ Soustre syr Phylyp Tacyel syr IohnÌ„ Bouboufer syr Robert Clycon syr Nycholas Trenton Hugyn of Caurele Dauyd Houlegiax Thomas Allerey Hobequyn Beaucestre and dyuers other all with penons besyde the barons they were a M. speres of knyghtes and squyers of good men of armes and .ii. M. archers and a M. of other tawle yomeÌ„ they had a fayre season as in the moneth of May whiche is lyghtly pleasaunt and peasyble and so they sayled coostynge the Ile of wyght and Gernsey tyll they came open on the coost of Normandy they were CC. sayles it was a grete beautye to se the galeys glyde on the see approchynge the lande full of men of armes and arches sekynge for some aduentures for it was sayd to them that the armye of Normandy was on the see and truely so they were tyll the Englysshe flete appered before the boundes of Ouarentyne but they knewe by theyr balengers that the armye of Englande was comynge and therfore they withdrewe themselfe in to the hauen of Harflewe THere is lyghtely nothynge but that it is knowen and specyally of dedes of armes for lordes knyghtes and squyers wyl gladly talke togyder therof When the dyscomfyture was at Iuberoth where as the kynge of Castell toke suche losse as ye haue herde tydynges therof came in to Franuce as it was reason for there were many there that had lost at the batayle theyr frendes and kynsmen and as then there was no warre so lykely to be as in Castell also they herde true reporte howe the duke of Lancastre claymed as his ryght enherytaunce the herytage of Castell and howe he had raysed in Englonde a grete armye to the entente to drawe in to Castell or in to Portyngale so then knyghtes squyers of the low marches to auaunce theyr honoure drewe sente eche to other to determyne howe they myght best drawe in to Castell some couÌ„sayled to go thyder by lande to eschewe the perylles of the see also to scape fro the encountrynge of the Englysshe nauye some sayd nay therto for they sayd the passage by lande was ouer longe And also they thought that the kynge of Nauare was not clerely fauourable to the frensshe partye for the frensshmen he loued but smally togyder for it was sayd true it was the frensshe men had taken fro hym all his enherytauÌ„ce in NormaÌ„dy howbeit I can not tell yf his quarel were iust or not so thus these coÌ„panyoÌ„s doubted gretely the perylles that myyght fall by goynge by lande as well for the kynge of Nauare as for other they thought they sholde neuer come there by the way thrugh Aragon so at last they concluded to go to Rochell as they dyd there to take these there they rygged an .xviii vesselles toke but fewe horses with them wheÌ„ they were all redy had wynde at theyr wyll they entred in to theyr vesselles so sayled towarde Bayon for that waye or nere therto they must nedes passe in that company there was the lorde of Coursey syr IohnÌ„ Handoy the vycouÌ„t of Verliere syr Peter of Vellamines syr Guy of Baueux syr IohnÌ„ of castell Morant the lorof saynt Liger syr Iames of Fougeres the lorof Bellannes syr Trystram of Langurant the lorde Bartoys of Barres dyuers other so that they were a CCC knyghtes squyers of chosen men desyrynge armes thus they sayled by the see had wynde and wether as they wolde wysshe so aryued without peryl or domage at the porte of saynt Andrewe in Bysquay in the yere of our lorde M.iii. C.lxxx .vi. the .xiiii day of the moneth of May. WHen these knyghtes squyers of FrauÌ„ were aryued at saynt Andrewes there they refresshed them .ii. dayes in that space they drew out of theyr shyppes theyr horses bagages then they set forthe demaunded where they sholde fynde the kynge of Castell it was shewed them howe they sholde fynde hym in the cyte of Burgus in Spayne where as theÌ„ he had a grete counsayle for the busynes of his royalme These knyghtes squyers toke theyr way to Burgus so came thyder the kynge of Castell was ryght ioyfull of theyr comynge demauÌ„ded of them tydynges of Fraunce what way they came thyder They answered howe they came by the see fro Rochel how it was sayd in frauÌ„ce that the duke of Lancastre had a grete army of meÌ„ of armes archers to come the same season in to Castel or elles in to Portyngale also how the kynge of Portyngale had sent a noÌ„bre of galeys other shyppes in to EnglaÌ„de for hym of these tydynges the kyng of Spayne was more pensyue theÌ„ he was before how be it he made no semblaunt but well he thought he sholde haue sore warre in that season how be it he made good chere to these knyghtes and squyers of Fraunce thanked them gretely of theyr comynge And then he sayd to syr Robert of Braquemont and to syr IohnÌ„ his broder Syrs when ye departed fro me the yere that is past I desyred you that when soeuer ye retourned agayne hyder that ye sholde brynge with you tenyse balles of Parys for vs to play togyder how be it it had ben better I hadde charged you to haue brought good baâ—senetes good harneys for I thynke we shall fynde the season well to enploye them Syr sayd the knyght we haue brought of bothe syr alwayes we can not be armed nor alwayes play Thus the kynge of Castell made them ryght good chere then they had affeccyon to god on pylgrymage to saynt Iames syth they were in the countrey and some of them had auowed so to do so they rode all togyder for company and trussed with them all theyr harneys as thought they sholde haue gone to batayle they dyd wysely in theyr so doynge for it stode them in good stede or they retourned agayne as ye shall here after Nowe let vs retourne to the duke of Lancastres armye who were on the coost of Normandy IN lyke maner as by coÌ„paryson as fawcons pelegrynes that haue stande and â—ested longe on the perche hath grete desyre to flye abrode In lyke maner the knyghtes and squyers of Englonde desyred to fynde dedes of armes to auaunce themselfe and sayd eche to other Why do ye not aryue go se the boundes portes of Normandy there be knyghtes and squyers to awake vs and to fyght with vs these wordes multyplyed that it came to the dukes eyres and the duke or he departed out of Englonde knewe that syr IohnÌ„ of Malestroyt and the lorde of Cambor Morfonac and a grete nombre of knyghtes and squyers of Bretayne lay at the syege in bastydes before the castell of Brest by the commaundement of the constable of
of all the formest company syr wyllyam of Lygnac syr Gaultyer of Passac were leders to exalte theyr honoure they departed in good araye all theyr companyes in good ordre THus whyles these knyghtes squyers of the royalme of fraunce prepayred theÌ„ to goo in to Castell suche as were fyrst redy fyrst departed specyally they that were of farre countreys for there were many that desyred dedes of armes the same season the englysshmen were on the see bytwene Englande Flaunders wherof Rycharde erle of Arundell was admyral in his coÌ„pany the erle of deuonshyre the erle of NotynghaÌ„ the bysshop of Norwyche they were a .v. C. men of armes M. archers they had lyen at ancre a grete season abydyng some adueÌ„ture often tymes refresshed theÌ„ on the cost of englande aboute the yles of Cornewall bretayne NormaÌ„dy they were sore dyspleased in that the flete of flaunders was scaped fro theÌ„ were gone to rochell specyally that the coÌ„stable of fraunce was gone fro Lentrygner to sluse passed by Calays met not with hym for gladly they wolde haue fought with hym yet the constable had as many shyppes as they but they passed by theÌ„ by reason of the wynde the fludde that they had in the nyght tyme the englysshe nauy lay at ancre before Mergate at the Tames mouthe towarde Sandwyche abydynge theyr aduenture specyally abydyng for the shyppes that were gone to Rochell for they thought they wolde shortly retourne so they dyd for when the merchauntes of flaunders of rochel of Haynalte other places who for doubte of the englysshmen were conioyned togyder departed out of flauders they ê“mysed eche other to go to retourne togyder to take eche others parte when they had all done theyr busynes in Rochel in the couÌ„trey of Xainton had charged theyr shyppes with wynes then as soone as they had good wynde they dysancred departed out of the hauen of Rochell toke theyr way by the see to goo in to flaunders to Sluse fro whens they departed they sayled so longe that they passed the rase saynt Mathewe in Bretayne without peryll or domage so costed base Bretayne theÌ„ nor mandy so came ryght ouer the Tames mouth where as the englysshe nauy lay the flemynges perceyued where they laye they in the hyghe shyppes sayd to theyr coÌ„pany syrs aduyse you wel we shall be met by the englysshe armye they they haue perceyued vs they wyl take the aduauÌ„tage of the wynde tyde we shal haue batayle or it be nyght that tydynges pleased not well al partyes specyally the merchauntes of flauÌ„ders of Haynalte of other countreys who had theyr merchauÌ„dyse there abrode they wolde gladly haue ben thens yf they myght Howbeit syth they sawe no remedy but fyght they ordred theÌ„ selfe therto they were crosse bowes and other meÌ„ harneysed defensably arayed mo theÌ„ .vii. C amonge theÌ„ there was a valyaunt knyght of flaunders who was theyr capytayne was as then admyrall of the see set there by the duke of Borbone called syr IohnÌ„ Bucke ryght sage hardy in armes had done before grete domage on the see to the englyghmen this syr IohnÌ„ Bucke set euery thyng in good ordre decked his shyppes wel wysely as he that coulde ryght wel do it sayd syrs be not abasshed we are meÌ„ ynowe to fyght with the englysshe army the wynde wyl serue vs that euer as we be fyghtyng we shal aproche nerer nerer to Sluse we shall coost flaundres some toke good coÌ„forte with those wordes some not so they put theÌ„selfe in good ordre defence made redy theyr crosse bowes gonues THe englysshe shyppes aproched they had certayne galays fournysshed with archers they came formest rowynge with owers and gaue the fyrst assaulte and archers shotte fyersly and lost moche of theyr shotte for the flemynges couered them vnder the deckes wold not apere but draue euer forth with the wynde and wheÌ„ they were out of the englysshe archers shot then they dyd let fly theyr quarelles wher with they hurted many then approched the grete shyppes of Englande the erle of Arundel with his company the bysshop of Norwyche with his so the other lordes they russhed in amonge the flemynges shyppes them of Rochell yet the flemynges crosse bowes defended theÌ„ selfe ryght valyauÌ„tly for theyr patron syr IohnÌ„ Bucke dyd euer comforte theÌ„ he was in a gret strong shyp wherin he had .iii. gonnes shotynso grete stones that where soeuer they lyghted they dyd grete domage euer as they fought they drewe lytell lytell towarde flaunders some lytell shyppes with theyr merchauntes toke the coostes of Flaunders the lowe water therby saued them for the grete shyppes coulde not folow them for lacke of water thus on the se there was a harde batayle shyppes broken sunken on bothe partyes for out of the toppes they cast downe grete barres of yron where as they wente to the botom this was an harde batayle well fought for it endured a .iii. or .iiii. houres when the day fayled they withdrewe eche fro other cast ancre there rested all nyght dressed theyr hurte men when the fludde came they dysancred drewe vp sayles and retourned agayne to the batayle with the englysshmen was Peter du Boys of Gaunt with a certayne archers maryners who made the flemynges moche a do for he had ben a maryner wherfore he knewe the arte of the see he was fore dyspleased that the flemynges merchauntes endured so longe alwayes the englysshmen wanne aduauntage of the flemynges so came bytwene Blanqueberg Sluse agaynst Gagant there was the dyscomfyture for they were not socoured by no creature nor also at that tyme there were noo shyppes at Sluse nor men of warre true it was there was a squyer a man of armes at Sluse called Arnolde the mayre when he harde howe there was batayle on the see bytwene the armye of Englande them of Flaunders he toke a barke of his owne and entred therin and with hym a certayne men of Sluse and twenty crosse bowes and rowed by force tyll he came to the batayle but that was at the poynte of the dyscomfyture for by that tyme the englysshmen were seased of the moost parte of the flemysshe shyppes and had taken syr IohnÌ„ Bucke theyr capytayne his shyp all that were within it and when this Arnolde the mayre sawe the maner of that batayle he made his crosse bowes to shote .iii. tymes then retourned and was chased into the hauen of Sluse but the englysshmennes shyppes were so grete that they coulde not approche so nere the lande as the barke dyd and therby he saued hymselfe and his company THe men of the towne of Sluse were sore abasshed when they
suche answere that ye shall be contented Sir ye saye well quod they it suffyceth vs. Than they departed and wente to their lodgynges At nyght they were desyred to dyne the nexte daye with the duke So the nexte daye they came to the duke and were well receyued and so wasshed and went to dyner satte downe Firste the bysshoppe of Langers bycause he was a prelate and than the duke than the admyrall of Fraunce and thanne sir Iohan de Beulle They hadde a great dyner and were well serued and after dyner they entred in to a counsayle chambre and there they talked of dyuers maters and herde mynstrelsy These lordes of Fraunce thought surely to haue hadde an answere but they hadde none Than wyne and spyces were brought in and so made collasyon and than toke their leaue and departed to their lodgynge The nexte daye they were apoynted to come to the duke and so they dyde and the duke receyued them swetely and at the laste sayd Sirr I knowe well ye looke to be aunswered for by the wordes that I haue herde you saye ye are charged by the kyng and his vncles to bring them an answere Wherfore I say to you that I haue done nothynge to sir Olyuer of Clesquyne wherof I shulde repente me sauynge of one thynge and that is That he hadde so good a markette as to escape a lyue And in that I saued his lyfe was for the loue of his offyce and nat for his persone For he hath done me soo many displeasures that I ought to hate hym deedly And sauynge the displeasure of the kyng and of his vncles and his coūsayle For all the takynge of sir Olyuer I haue nat therby broken their voyage by the see I wyll well excuse my selfe therin for I thought non yuell the daye that I toke hym a man ought to take his ennemy whersoeuer he fynde hym And if he were deed I wolde thynke the Realme of Fraunce to be as well ruled or better than it is by his counsayle And as for his castelles that I holde the whiche he hath delyuered me I am in possessyon of them and so wyll be withoute the puyssaunce of a kynge take them fro me And as for rendringe of his money I aunswere I haue had so moche to do in tyme paste by the meanes of this sir Olyuer of Clysquyn that I ranne in dette gretlye therby and nowe I haue payde them that I was bounde vnto by reason of this dette This was the answere that the duke of Bretaygne made to the kynges ambassadours Than they layde forthe other reasons to enduce the duke to some reasonable waye but all his answeres tourned euer to one conclusyon And whan they sawe none other waye they toke their leaues to departe and the duke gaue them leaue Than̄e they retourned and dyd so moch by their iourneys that they came to Parys to the house of Beautie besyde Wynsentes There was the kyng the quene and thyder came the duke of Berrey and the duke of Bourgoyne hauyng great desyre to knowe what answere the duke of Bretaygne haddemade THe aunswere ye haue herde here before I nede nat to shewe it agayne but the kyng and his counsayle were nat content with the duke of Bretaygne that his ambassadours hadde made no better exployte and they sayde howe the duke was a proude man and a presumptuous and that the mater shulde nat so reste in peace seynge the matter so preiudyciall for the Crowne of Fraunce And the entensyon of the kyng and his counsayle was to make warre agaynste the duke of Bretayne and the duke loked for nothynge elles For he sawe and knewe well howe he had greatly displeased the kyng and his counsell but he hated so mortally the constable that it toke fro hym the good order of reason for he repented hym sore that he had nat putte hym to dethe whan he hadde hym in his daunger Thus the mater contynued a longe season and the duke of Bretayne laye at Wannes and lytell and lytell rode ouer his countrey for he freared greatly embusshmentes He kepte styll in loue and fauour his cyties and good townes and made secrete treaties with the Englysshmen and made his castelles and forteresses to be as well kepte as thoughe he had had opyn warre and was in many imaginacions on the dede he had done Somtyme he wolde say he wolde he had nat taken the constable howe be it he sayd euer to stoppe mennes mouthes that sir Olyuer of Clesquyn had sore dishleased hym so that many a man sayd that elles he wolde neuer haue done it therby he brought his coūtre in feare for it is but a small signorie if a prince be nat feared and douted of his menne for and the worste fall he maye haue peace whan he lyst ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of the duke of Bretaygne and let vs somwhat speke of the busynesse that was in the realme of Englāde whiche was in the same season horryble and marueylous ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the kyng of Englandes vncles were of one accorde and aliaūce agaynst the kyng and his counsaile and of the murmurynge of the people agaynst the duke of Irelande of the aunswere of the londoners to the duke of Gloucestre Cap. xcii YE haue herde here before howe the kyng of Englandes vncles the duke of yorke the duke of Gloucestre with therle of Salisbury and the erle of Arundell the erle of Northumberlande the erle of Notyngham and the archebysshoppe of Caūterbury All these were of one alyaunce and accorde agaynst the kynge and his counsayle for these lordes and other were nat content with the kynges counsayle and sayd among them selfe This duke of Irelande dothe with the kynge what he lyste and with all the realme The kyng wyll nat be counsayled but by vnhappy men and of base lynage and taketh no regarde to the great lordes of his realme As longe as he hath suche counsayle about hym the busynesse of Englande can nat do well for a realme can nat be well gouerned nor a kynge well counsayled by suche vngracious people It is sene a poore man moūted in to gret estate and in fauoure with his mayster often tymes corrupteth distroyeth the people and the realme A man of base lynage canne nat knowe what parteyneth to honoure their desyre is euer to enryche and to haue all thēselfe lyke an Otter in the water whiche coueteth to haue all that he fyndeth Who hath any profyte by that the duke of Irelande is so great with the kyng we knowe full well fro whense he came yet we se that all the realme is ruled by hym and nat by the kynges vncles nor by none of his blode This ought nat to be suffred We knowe well ynoughe that the Erle of Oxenforde had neuer the grace to do any valyaunt dede in this realme his honour wysedome counsayle or gentylnesse is ryght well knowen and that was well knowen ones by sir Iohan Chandos in
of Englande dukes erles barons and counsayle of the good townes Than it was sayde to hym Sir Symon ye haue alwayes ben a notable knight in the realme of EnglaÌ„de and ye were well beloued with my lorde the prince And ye and the duke of Irelande haue had in a maner the gouernynge of the kyng We haue sene all your maters and well examyned them the whiche be nother good nor faire which gretly displeaseth vs for your owne sake It is clerely determynyd by the hole generall counsayle that ye must go to prison in to the towre of London there to remayne tyll ye haue brought into this chambre the money of the kynges and of the realmes that ye haue gathered the whiche as it apereth by the treasourers rolles draweth to the some of two hundred and fyfty thousande frankes Nowe loke what ye wyll say Than syr Symon was halfe discomforted and said Sirs I shall with a good wyll And also it behoueth me so to do to fulfyll yoâ— coÌ„maundement I shall go where as ye commaunde me But my lordes I require you let me haue a clerke assigned to me that he maye write all suche expenses as I haue layde oute in tyme past in Almayne in Beame in procurynge the kinges maryage And if there be any reast I beseche you let me haue the kynges grace and yours that I may haue reasonable dayes to pay it Sir quod the lordes we are content Thus syr Symon Burle was in prison in the towre of London THan the constable spake of ser Willyam Helmon and of sir Thomas Tryuet for they were nat greatly in the fauour of some of the barones of Englande nor of the commontie of the realme for the vyage that they made in to Flaunders For it was sayd that neuer Englysshmen made so shamefull a vyage The bysshoppe of Norwyche and sir Hughe Caurell that was as than capitayne of Calais were excused layde to the others charge howe they hadde taken money for the gyueng vp of Burbourcke and Grauelyng Some sayd that that dede was trayson they were sent for and sir Wylliam Helmon came but sir Thomas Tryuer was excused I shall shewe you howe ¶ The same weke that he was sente for beyng in his owne house in the Northe ê‘te he rode out into the feldes vpon a yonge horse that he hadde and spurred hym so that the horse ranne awaye with hym ouer busshes and hedges and at laste fell in a dyke and brake his necke and so sir Thomas Triuet dyed whiche was great doÌ„mage and his dethe was greatlye complayned with many good menne of the realme yet for all that his heyres were fayne to paye a certayne somme of Floreyns to the Counsayle to the kynges behoue as they sayde But the chiefe encytyng of those maters came by the kynges vncles and by the generall counsayle of the couÌ„trey as it appered after in Englande For of trouthe thoughe the duke of Gloucestre was the yongest brother in age yet he was moost auncyent in the busynesse of the realme for he drewe to that opinyon that moost of the noble menne and prelates and the commons helde Whan that sir ThemÌ„s Tryuettes coÌ„posicion was made after his dethe by the maner as ye haue herde here before therby the penauÌ„ce of sir Wylliam Helmon was greatly asswaged He entred with the counsayle and by the meanes of the valyantnesse of his body and the good seruyce that he had done dyuers tymes for Englande as well in Bourdeloyes as in Guyen and in Picardye where he was alwayes proued a good knight There was nothynge layde to his reproche but takynge of the money for the delyuerauÌ„ce of Burborcke and Grauelynge Than he excused hymselfe with fayre and swete wordes and made dyuers reasonable reasons sayd My lordes who so euer were in lyke case as we were in that tyme in the garyson of Bourburke I thynke wolde do as we dyd I haue herde sir IohnÌ„ Chandos and sir Gaultier of Manny say dyuers tymes who were right wyse and of gret valure Howe that a man ought of two or iii. wayes chose the best waye and wherby most to endomage his enemyes And thus sir Thomas Tryuet and I beyng in the garysons of Bourburke and Grauelyng and sawe howe we were enclosed on all parties and no conforte aperyng to vs from any parte And parceyued well howe we coulde nat endure many assautes for they that laye about vs were as chosen men of armes as euer I sawe or I trowe any other Englysshemenne For as I knewe iustely by the reporte of our harraude they were at leest a syxtene thousande men of armes knyghtes and squyers and a .xl. thousande of other And we were nat paste a thre hundred speares and as many archers And also our garysone was of suche cyrcuyte that we coude nat enteÌ„de on euery place And that we well ê‘ceyued by an assaut that was made vs on a daye For whyle we were at oure defence on the one parte they caste in fyre on the other parte wherby we were gretly abasshed and that our ennemyes right well parceyued And therfore to saye the trouthe the Frenche kyng and his counsaile wrought by great geÌ„tylnesse seyng the case that we were in to gyue vs trewse For if they had gyuen vs another assaute the nexte daye as they were ordayned to do I thynke they hadde taken vs at their pleasure yet for all this they courtesly treated with vs by the meanes of the duke of Bretayne who tooke great payne in that mater And where as we shulde haue gyuen theym money for our raunsommes if we hadde ben taken as it was lykely they gaue vs money wherby we dyde them dommage and it was in them to haue endomaged vs. We thought we conquered greatly on them whan we had of their money and departed oure selfe safe and withoute trouble and hadde with vs all that we had won in all the warre tyme on the fronters of FlauÌ„ders And my lordes besyde that to pourge me of all blame if there be any ê‘sone in Englande or without knight or Esquyer Except the ê‘sons of my lordes the dukes of LaÌ„castre yorke Glocester that wyll saye and abyde therby that I haue done any vntrouthe to the kynge my naturall lorde or accuse me of any trayson I am here redye to receyue his gauge and to putte my body in aduenture by dedes of armes to proue the coÌ„trarye as the Iudge therto assigned shall ordayne These wordes and suche other and the valyauntnesse of the knighte excused hym greatlye and saued hym frome the parell of dethe And afterwarde he retourned agayne in to his fourmer estate and was after that a ryght valyaunt knyght and auaunsed in to the kynges Counsayle But as at that tyme sir Symon Burle was nat delyuered out of prisone for the kynges vncles hated hym gretlye and soo dyde all the commontie of Englande The kyâ—ge dyde all that he myght to haue hadde hym delyuered all the
nat what to say nor do for he knewe well all the people that he had assembled there were nat all of one corage wherfore he wyst nat wheder it were better to retourne to the kyng or to abide there He toke counsayle with his knyghtes fynally their couÌ„sayle rested that sythe the kyng had ordayned hym to be Constable ouer all his people and to correcte and to punysshe all rebelles that he shulde kepe the felde for if he shulde do otherwyse it shulde be to his great blame and rebuke and to bring him in to the indignacion of the kyng and to shewe that his quarell were nother good nor right And also they said that it was better for him to dye with honour and to abyde the aduenture than to shewe any false corage but they counsayled hym to sende worde what case he was in to the kyng to Bristowe As yet they sayd blessed be god they kepte the feldes and none to recouÌ„tre them So thus the duke sent to the kyng desyring hym to sende hym more ayde which the kyng dyde daylye Tidynges came to the kynges vncles being at LoÌ„don that the duke of Irlande with his company were in the marchesse of Oxenforde There they toke counsayle what was best for them to do There was with the kynges vncles the archebysshop of CauÌ„terbury the erle of Arundell the erle of Salysbury the Erle of Northumberlande and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes of EnglaÌ„nde and the rulers of London There it was ordayned by the duke of Gloucester that without delay they shulde issue out in to the feldes that the mayre of London shulde putte in to harnesse all the people in euery warde suche as wolde ayde them Sayeng surely howe they wolde go and fyght with the duke of Irlande whersoeuer they coude fynde hym the mayre of London was as than a man of armes He toke chosen men bytwene the age of twentie yeres and .xl. And the lordes were a thousande men of armes They departed fro London and went and lodged at Braynford and there about and the nexte daye at Colebroke and dayly the nombre encreased and so toke the waye to Redyng to passe the temmes there aboute for the bridges bytwene Wyndsore and Stanes were broken by the coÌ„maundement of the duke of Irelande So long they iourneyed that they aproched nere to Oxenforde tidynges therof a none came to the duke of Irelande than he beganne to dout and toke counsayle Than he was couÌ„sayled to take the feldes and to put his people in order of batayle and to display that kynges baners sayeng by the grace of god and saynt George the iourney shulde be his As it was deuysed so it was doone Than they sowned their trumpettes and euery man armed hym and issued out of Oxenforde in order of batayle with the kynges baners displayed the day was fayre clere and a pleasaunt season ⸪ ⸪ ¶ How the kynges vncles wan the iourney agaynst the duke of IrelaÌ„de and howe he fledde dyuers other of his company Cap. xcix TIdinges came to the duke of Gloucester beyng within thre leages of Oxenforde by a ryuer syde whiche falleth in to the teÌ„mes a lytell besyde Oxenforde howe that the duke of Irelande was drawen in to the feldes in order of batayle wherof the duke of Gloucester had great ioye sayde howe he wolde fyght with hym if he myght passe the ryuer Than trumpettes sowned the dislodging and ordered them selfe redy to fyght They were within two leages of their ennemyes sertched to passe the ryuer and sente oute people to sertche the depnesse of the water and they fouÌ„de the ryuer in suche apoynt than in .xxx. yeres before it was nat so base And so the scurers passed at their ease and rode and aduysed the maner of their ennemyes and than retourned to the duke of Gloucester and sayd Sir god and the ryuer is this daye on your parte for the ryuer is so lowe that it is nat to the horse bely And sir we haue sene the maner of the duke of IrelaÌ„de they be redy raynged in the felde in good maner We can nat saye if the kyng be there or no but the kyngê baners be there with the armes of Englande and of Fraunce and none other Well ê™ the duke a goddes name so be it of that armes I and my brother haue parte auauÌ„ce forward in the name of god and saynt George let vs gose theÌ„ nerer Than euery man rode forthe with great courage whan they knewe they myght passe the ryuer at their ease so shortlye all their hoost passed the ryuer TIdynges came to the duke of IrelaÌ„d howe the kynges vncles were passed the ryuer of TeÌ„mes how they shulde haue batayle brefely Than the duke of Irelande was abasshed for he knewe well if he were taken the duke of Glocester wolde cause hym to dye shamefully that nouther golde nor syluer shulde raunsome hym Than he sayde to sir Peter Golofer to sir Mychaell Pole sirs surely my corage beareth yuell agaynst this iourney nor I dare nat abyde the bataile agaynst the kynges vncles for if they take me I shall dye shamefully Howe the deuyll is it that they be passed the ryuer of TeÌ„mes It is but a poore token for vs. Why sir quod the two knyghtes what wyll ye do I wyll saue myself and you also quod the duke and the rest saue them who can Well sir quod the knyghtes than lette vs drawe our selfe out a syde on a wynge and so we shall haue two strynges on our bowe We shall se howe our men do if they do well than we shall abyde for the honour of the kyng who hath sent vs hither if they be discoÌ„fited we shall take that feldes take the aduauntage by flyeng saue our selfe where we may This couÌ„sayle was holden good Than the duke and these two knyghtes rode a long their batayle made good vysage and sayd Sirs kepe your batayls in good order and by the grace of god and saynt George we shall haue this daye a fayre iourney for the ryght is ours it is the kynges quarell therfore we shall spede the better Thus they rode vp and downe dissymulynge at laste they gette them selfe out of the prease and so came to one of the corners of the batayle and made a wynge and therwith there came on the duke of yorke and the duke of Gloucestre and other lordes with their baners displayed makyng great noyse with trumpettes And as soone as the duke of Irelandes company sawe them coÌ„mynge in so good order and so fiersly They were so abaâ—shed that they helde none arraye but tourned their backes and fledde For the noyse ran howe the duke of Irelande and his couÌ„sayle were â—edde and gone And so than euerye man fledde some hyther and thyder they wyste nat whyder without makynge of any defence And the duke of Irelande and the two knyghtes of his counsayle fledde biforce of their horses
the kyng and there shewe hym what case the busynesse of his realme is in recoÌ„maunde vs to hym shewe hym in our behalfe that he gyue no credence of lyght enformacion agaynst vs He hath beleued some to moche for his owne honour and for the ê“fyte of his realme And saye also to hym that we requyre hym and so do all the good people of London that he wolde come hyder he shal be welcome receyued with gret ioye we shall set such couÌ„saile about hym that he shal be well pleased And we charge you retourne nat agayne withoute hym and desyre hym nat to be displeased thoughe we haue chased awaye a meny of traytours that were about hym for by them his realme was in great paryll of lesynge The bysshop sayd he shulde do ryght well his message and so departed and rodde forthe lyke a great prelate and so came to Bristowe and the kynge was there but with a priuye coÌ„pany For suche as were wont to haue ben of his counsayle were deed and fledde awaye as ye haue herde before The bysshop was in the towne two nightes and a day or the kyng wolde speke with hym He was so soore dyspleased with his vncles for driuynge awaye of the duke of Irelande whome he loued aboue all men and for sleeynge of his knyghtes Finally he was so entysed that he consented that the archbysshop shulde come in to his presens Whan he came before hym he humyled hym selfe greatlye to the kynge and there shewed the kyng euery worde as the kynges vncles had gyuen hym in charge And shewed hym that if it were his pleasure to come to Londou to his palys of Westmynster his vncles and the mooste parte of all his realme wolde be ryght ioyeouse elles they wyll be ryght sorte and yuell displeased And sayde sir Without the comforte ayde and accorde of your vncles and of your lordes knyghtes and prelates and of your good cyties and townes of EnglaÌ„de ye canne nat come to any of youre ententes He spake these wordes boldelye and sayde moreouer Sir ye canne nat reioyse so moche youre ennemyes as to make warre with youre frendes and to kepe youre Realme in warre and myschiefe The yonge kynge by reasone of the bysshoppes wordes beganne to enclyne howe be it the beheedynge of his knyghtes and counsaylours came sore in to his courage So he was in dyuers ymaginacions but finally he refrayned his displeasure by the good meanes of the quene the lady of Boesme and of some other wise knightes that were about hym as sir Rycharde Stoner and other Thanne the kyng sayd to the bysshoppe Well I am content to go to LoÌ„don with you wherof the bisshop was right ioyous and also it was to hym a great honoure that he hadde spedde his iourney so well WIthin a shorte space after the kyng departed lefce the quene styll at Bristowe and so came towardes London with the archbysshoppe in his company and so came to Wyndsore and there the kyng taryed a thre dayes Tidynges came to London howe the kynge was commynge euery manne was gladde Than it was ordayned to mete hym honourablye The daye that he departed fro Wyndsore the way fro Braynforde to London was full of people on horse backe and a foote to mete the kynge And his two vncles the duke of yorke and the duke of Gloucester and Iohan sonne to the duke of yorke the erle of Arundell the erle of Salisbury the erle of Northumberlande and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes and prelates departed out of London mette with the kyng a two myle fro Braynforde There they receyued hym swetely as they ought to do their soueraygne lorde The kynge who bare yet some displeasure in his herte passed by and made but small countenaunce to theÌ„ and all the waye he talked moost with the bisshop of LoÌ„don at last they came to WestmiÌ„ster The kyng alyghted at his palis whiche was redy apparelled for him There the kyng dranke and toke spyces and his vncles also and other Prelates lordes and knyghtes Than some tooke their leaues The kynges vncles and the archebysshoppe of Caunterburye with the counsayle taryed styll there with the kyng some in the Palais and some in the abbey and in the towne of westminster to kepe the kynge company and to be nere toguyder co commune of their busynesse there they determyned what shulde be done ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe by the kynge and his vncles all the lordes of Englande were sente for to come to westmynster to a generall counsayle there to be holden Cap. C.i. A Generall Parlyament was ordeyned to be holden at Westmynstre and all prelates Erles Barons and knyghtes and the counsayles of all the good townes and cytees of EnglaÌ„de were sent for to be there and all suche as helde of the kyng The archebysshoppe of Cauntorbury shewed to the kynges vncles counsayle that when kynge Rycharde was crowned kynge of Englande and that euery man was sworne and made theyr releues to hym and that whaÌ„ he receyued theyr faythes and homages he was within age and a knyge ought nat to gouerne a royalme tyll he be xxi yeres of age and in the meane season to be gouerned by his vncles or by his nexte kynne and by wyse men The bysshop sayd this bycause the kynge as then was but newlye come to the age of .xxi. yeres wherfore he counsayled that euery man shulde be newe sworne and renewe their releues and euery manne newe to knowledge hym for their soueraygne lorde This counsayle was excepted of the kynges vncles and of all other of the couÌ„sayle And for that entent all prelates and lordes and counsayles of good cyties townes were sent for to come to Westminster at a daye assigned Euery man came thyder none disobeyed so that there was moche people in London and at Westmister And kyng Richarde was in his chapell in the palys rychely apareyled with his crowne on his heed and the archebysshoppe of CauÌ„terbury sang the masse And after masse the bisshoppe made a collasyon And after that the kyngê vncles dyde their homage to the kyng kyssed hym and there they sware and ê“mysed hym faithe and homage for euer And than all other lordes sware and prelates and with their handes ioyned togyder they dyde their homage as it aparteyned and kyst the kynges cheke Some the kyng kyst with good wyll some nat for all were nat in his in warde loue but it behoued hym so to do for he wolde nat go fro the counsayle of his vncles But surely if he might haue had his entent he wolde nat haue done as he dyde but rather haue taken crewell vengeaunce for the deche of sir Symon Burle and other knyghtê that they had putte fro hym and slayne without desert as he thought Than it was ordayned by the couÌ„sayle that the archebysshop of yorke shulde come and pourge hym selfe for he hadde alwayes been of the duke of Irelandes parte agaynst the kynges vncles
henedeth nat to tary here for any warre that is apatente for as for Galice the recouery therof shall be but a small mater for vs. Thus they of the kynges counsayle comuned eche with other and further they said If we ones receyue these people they must be payed of their wages if nat they will pyll and robbe all the realme for the comon people all redy begynneth to complayne therfore we thynke it were best to gyue theÌ„ an honest congy to departe This counsayle was vpholden and the kynge well consented there to for he sawe well it was the most proftye for his people and realme for they coulde take no hurte but it shulde be to his domage and preiudice So that one daye in the kynges presence the archebysshop of Burgus to the duke of Burbon before many of the knightes of Fraunce shewed and declared to theym their ententes as ye haue herde before And the duke of Burbon and dyuers other knyghtes of Fraunce who had rather retourne than to a byde there for the countrey was nat mete for their complerions were well contente to retourne and prepared themselfe thervpon and bycause the duke of Burbone was laste that came he retourned first and toke his leaue of the kynge and said howe he wolde returne by the realme of Nauerre There were great gyftes gyuen him or he departed and might haue had more if he wolde haue taken it but he refused euery thynge except mules and mulâ—tteâ— and dogges of Spayne Than it was publisshed that all frenchmen might at their pleasure departe out of Spayne and retourne in to Fraunce but there taryed styll sir Olyuer of Clesquyn constable of Spayne and the marshals and a thre hundred speares of bretons poicteuyns and xayngtons Thus the duke of Burbone returned Whan he had taken his congy of the kynge and the quene and of other lordes of Castyle he was conueyed to Groyne and so in to Nauarre And where so euer he came he was welcome and well receyued for the duke of Burbone was gracyous curteyse honorable and well renomed And the kynge of Nauer receyued him louyngly and neuer shewed any maner of yuell wyll towardes the frenche kynge in that he had taken a way fro him his enherytauÌ„ce of the countye of Eureur in Normandy for he sawe well the frenche kyng that was as than nephewe to the duke of Burbon was in no defaute therof for whaÌ„ it was done he was but yonge But swetely he shewed the duke all his busynesse desyringe hym to be a good meane bytwene hym and his cosyn the frenche kynge The duke promysed hym so to be Than the duke departed and passed thorough the realme of Nauer peasably and all other suche as wolde passe and thus they passed the mountayns of Rouseaulx all alonge the countrey of Bastelles and so entred in to Bierne and in to Saluaterra ¶ Howe therle of Foize receyued honourably the duke of Burbon and of the great giftes that he gaue him and how sir willyam of Lygnac and sir Gaultier of Passackes coÌ„pany departed out of Spayne and of the incydent that fortuned in the towne of saynt Phagon Cap. C.viii. WHan the Erle of Foyz beynge at Ortays vnderstode that the duke of Burbon was at Saluaterra he was glad therof and sente for his knightê to be aboute him And on a day in great araye he rode with a fyue hundred knyghtes and squyers two leages out of Ortays and mette with the duke of Burbon who in lykewyse rode with a great rout of knyghtes and squiers and there they met amyably as great prynces ought to do And whan they had comuned togyther a certayne space as it was shewed me whan I was at Ortays The erle of Foize drewe hym a parte in the felde with all his company and the duke abode styll in a nother parte Than the Erle sente to the duke thre knyghtes named syr Espayne de Lyon sir Peter Capestan and sir Menaunt of Nowalles And whan they came before the duke they sayd Sir here is a present that my lorde the erle of Foiz hath sent to you at your returnynge out of Spayne for he knoweth well ye haue been at great dyspence Therfore syr he dothe gyue you at your entring in to his countrey of Bierne eyght thousande frankes and this mulette and two coursers and two palfreys Syrs quod the duke I thanke the erle of Foyze But as for the floreyns I wyll take none as for the other presente I wyll receyue them with a good wyll thus the florens were refused and the Mules and horses receyued Than the erle of Foyz came to the duke and brought hym in to the towne of Ortays and lodged him in his owne place all other were lodged in the towne the duke was thre dayes in Ortays and had great there with dyners and suppers And there the Erle of Foize shewed the duke a great parte of his estate On the fourthe daye the duke departed and the erle gaue to the knightes and squiers great gyftes As it was shewed me the comynge thyder of the duke of Burbon coste the erle of Foize ten thousande frankes Thus the duke departed and went in to Fraunce and rode by Mountpelyer by the cytie of Puy and by the countye of Forestes wherof he was lorde by the lady his wyfe FOr all the departyng of the duke of Burben as ye haue herde out of Spayne sir Willyam Lignac and sir Gaultier of Passac departed nat so soone nor the companyes to the nombre of a thre thousande speares and syre thousande of other men of warre and lytell and lytell euer they departed They were many out of wages and wery of the warres and so retourned yuell horsed and yuell aparelled all to torne and ragged The metynge with suche people was nothynge profytable for they vnhorsed whome soeuer they met and made warre to all marchauÌ„tes and to men of the churche and to poore people of the countre where any thinge was to gette These rutters sayde howe the warre had vndone them and howe the kynge of Castyle hadde yuell payed theym their wages wherfore they sayde they wolde pay themselfe And surely suche cyties castels and good townes as were nat stronge in Castyle douted them greatly and agaynst them townes and cyties closed their gates for feare of parels for all was hauocke with them without it were well defended Suche knightes and squyers as came by the erle of Foyze to se hym were well receyued and had gyftes and rewardes gyuen them ryght largely As it was shewed the comyng and retournynge of men of warre that passed by therle of Foize for the sayd iourney coste hym the some of .xl. thousande frankes THis season there fell an incydent in the towne of saynt Phagon in Spaygne after the departynge of the duke of Burbone the whiche coste fyue hundred mennes lyues So it was that whan sir Gaultier of Passar and sir Willyam of Lignac entred firste in to Spayne
frendes dyd stoppe it Whan these lordes were come to the duke he was gladd specyally by the comynge of his two cosyns germayns the duke Aubert of Bauiers and the duke Oste his brother for he knewe well that they wolde nat his dyshonoure but rather to gyue hym good couÌ„sayle as they dyd Their counsayle was to shewe you breuely that he shulde sende some honorable persones for the duke of Lusenburge and of Brabant whome he helde in curtoyse prison in his castell of Nideque and so he dyd And whan he was come all those lordes dyd hym great honour as reason was And than they all departed togyder and came to Ayes and toke their lodgynges Than the duke Auberte and his brother and the foresayd prelates who were the meanes of this treatye they sore entreated the emperour and his counsayle and shewed the emperoure howe the duke of Iuliers his cosyn of his owne free wyll was come to se hym and to put hym selfe poorely with out any reseruacyon into his obeysaunce and commaundement and to knowledge hym for his soueraygne and liege lorde These swete and amyable wordes molefyed greatly the emperours ire that he had before Than the emperoure sayd Lette the duke come to me and so he dyde and kneled downe before the emperoure and sayde My ryght redoubted souerayne I beleue well ye are dyspleased with me bycause of your brother in lawe the duke of Brabante whome I haue helde longe in prison for the which cause I submytte my selfe to abyde your ordre and your counsayles To that worde themperour gaue none aunswere but his sonne sir Charles who was called kynge of Boesme aunswered and sayde Duke of Iulyers ye haue ben to outragyous to kepe our vncle so longe in prisone And if it were nat at the desyre of your well be loued cosyns duke Auberte and duke Oste of Bauyers this busynesse wolde haue ben soer layd to your charge than it is for ye haue well deserued to be hyghly punysshed but chaunge your copye so that we haue no cause to renew our yuell wylles agaynste you for ye do it wyll be costly to you Than the duke of Iulyers beynge on his kne before the emperoure where as he sate in his chayre imperiall sayde My ryght redoughted souerayne lorde by your puyssaunt hyghnes I knowledge my selfe to haue trespassed youre maieste in that I with an army came against my cosyn your vycaire of the empyre and in that I haue helde hym as my prisoner I delyuer hym vnto you freely and quyte and I requyre your grace that you nor he beare me any yuell wyll fro hence forthe Than the prelates and the princes there beynge presente to helpe forwarde his wordes sayde Ryght noble prince this suffyseth that your cosyn of Iulyers hath sayd Well quod the emperour we are content and so toke hym vp by the hande And as it was shewed me for the confyrmacion of more loue he kyst the duke on the mouth and also his sonne the kynge of Boesme And than the duke of Brabante was delyuered out of prison and all suche as were prisoners vnder the duke of Iulyers and were nat raunsomed before were delyuered quyte by reason of the composycion of the treatie and this done euery manne retourned to their owne The emperour wente to Prage in Almayne and the duke of Brabant in to Brabante and whanne the duke of Brabante was retourned than he reysed a newe tayle in his couÌ„trey to restore to his knightes parte of their domages ⸪ ¶ Howe the duke of Brabante dyed and howe the duke Guylliam of Guerles treated with the duches of Brabante to haue agayne the thre castels and what aunswere he had and how he made alyauÌ„ce with the kynge of Englande Cap. C.xiiii ⸪ ⸪ I Am yet wyllynge to treate of this matter more at lengthe to renforce this hystorye and to brynge it to the poynte that I wolde come vnto to declare the trouthe why Charles the frenche kyng came with a great puyssaunce in to Almayne I might haue shewed this before but I haue prolonged it for all thingê though the date and season be paste yet they ought to be shewed in this hystory for whan I knowe that the frenche kynge and the kynge of England began to be besy than I began to wake to procede this hystory more than I dyd before Therfore I saye thus Whan duke Wyncelant was returned in to the countrey clerely delyuered out of person as ye haue herde before Than he was in wyll to vysyte his landes and castels as well in the duchy of Luzenbourge as else where and toke his iourney to the good cytie of Strawesbourge throughe the lande of Fauquemount and behelde the thre castels whiche were the occasion of the duke of Guerles yuell wyll He founde theym stronge and fayre if he loued theÌ„ before he loued them moche better than and caused them to be newly fortyfied and set workemen a worke as masons carpeÌ„ters and dykemakers to amende euery place and at his departynge he set a valyaunt knyght to be soueraygne keper of these thre casteles This knyght was called sir Iohan Grosset who at the dukes commaundemente toke on hym the charge at his parell The duke passed further and vysited his couÌ„trey and at his pleasure retourned agayne in to Brabante for there was his abydynge In this season syr Iohan of Bloâ—s had wedded the olde lady and duches of Guerles for the herytage by right came to hym by the deth of sir Edwarde of Guerles his brother who was slayne as ye haue herde in the batayle of Iulyers But his suster the duches of Iulyers stroue with hym and made chalenge and the moste parte of the knightes and good townes inclyned most to the ladyes parte bycause she had a fayre sonne who was able than to ryde and that was well sene for always he was in the warres so that sir IohnÌ„ de Bloyse nor his wyfe coulde neuer haue peasable possessyon But the chalenge of the ryght of his wyfe and the pursute therof coste hym aboue a hundred thousaÌ„de frankes For the sonne of duke Wyllyam of Iuliers shewed well in his youth that he was noble and hardy and loued dedes of armes for he came of noble ertractyon and so was duke of Guerles and had in mariage the eldest doughter of duke Auberte who had ben wedded before to sir Edward of Guerles but he had neuer carnally coupyled with her for she was to yonge Thus she was maryed to the lorde Willyam of Iulyers and he and she were moche of one age And soo she was styll duches as she was before This yonge duke increased in honour wytte and prowes and in great wyll to hauÌ„te dedes of armes and to augment his herytage And his heâ—e was rather englysshe than frenche and sayd always as yong as he was that he wolde ayde to insteyne the kynge of Englandes quarell for he was nerer of blode to hym than to the Frenche
gathered their company togyder and departed aboute mydnyght and rode a rounde pase too this towne and had guydes that brought them to Seaule by that tyme it was daylight Than they rested them apoynted what they wolde do And as it was shewed me syr Geruays with .xxx. speares went on before for to wynÌ„e the gate and sir Willyam of Tremoyle to folowe after bycause they feared if they shulde haue rydden all togyder to haue been spyed but they thought how they of the towne shulde thynke none other but that they shulde be a certayne nombre of men of armes sent thyder by the duke of Guerles to refresshe the garyson Thus this knyght sir Geruays with .xxx. speares rode before to the towne of Seaulle In the mornynge they founde men and women goynge to the towne for it was markette day they saluted theym in the langage of Almayne and rode forthe The poore men went surely they had been men of the countrey perteynynge to the duke of Guerles that were rydynge to the garyson Syr Geruays and his company rode forthe tyll they came to the gate and founde it open with a small warde it was so erly that the moste parte of the people were in their beddes They rested there and were lordes of the gate Than incontynent sir Willyam of Tremoyle and his route came galopynge thyder as faste as they myght and entred into the towne cryed their cryes Thus the towne was wonne without any defeÌ„ce for the men of the towne thought full lytle that the freÌ„chmen wolde haue done such an enterprise and the moste parte of theÌ„ were in their beddes ¶ Howe the frenche men after they had brente and ryfeled the towne of Seaulle retourned to their garyson and of the ioy that the duke of Burgoyne and the duches of Brabante made for that dede howe sir IohnÌ„ Boesme launce discomfyted the englysshmen Cap. C.xvii THis enterprise was done on the nyght of saynt Marten in wynter and a thre dayes before there came thyder a knyght of EnglaÌ„de with ten speares and .xxx. archers sente by the kynge of Englande This knyght was called syr Guylliam Fykaole Whan the larum began he was rysinge out of his bed He herde that the towne was wonne and demauÌ„ded by whome he was aunswered that it was done by bretons Ah ê™ the knight bretons are yuell people they wyll burne and pyll the towne than departe What crye do they crye syr ê™ they they crye on Tremoyle Than the englysshe knyght closed the castell and helde hym selfe his company within to se if any reskewe came but euery man was so abasshed that they fled hyther thyder The poore people fledde in to the mynster and some auoyded the towne by another gate the frenchmen sette fyre in the towne in dyuerse places howe be it there were many howses of stone and bricke that the fyre coulde nat lighty burne them The moste parte of the towne was brent pylled and robbed so that nothyng was lefte that was good the rychest men of the towne taken prisoners The englysshe knyght was taken at laste For whan he sawe that all was lost he opened the howse that he was in for he douted the fyre whan he sawe the flames and smoke in euery corner of the towne and so came out with his penon before hym and his company archers and other and there valiauntly defended them selfes a longe season But fynally he was taken and yelden prisoner to sir Guylliam of Tremoyle and all his company taken but fewe slayne Whan the frenchemen had done their wylles with the towne of Seaulle in Guerles and their varlettes driuing their pyllage before them they departed for they thought it foly too a byde there and went to their garison fro wheÌ„ce as they came Thus the duke of Guerles had the first buffet and domage wherwith he was sore dyspleased whan he knewe therof and so came thyder with a great nombre of menne of warre and thought well to haue founde there the frenche men but they were gone Than he newe renpayred the towne and furnished it with newe men of warre who were more dilygeÌ„t to kepe the towne thanne they that were there before Thus daily the adueÌ„tures of warre fell some loste one daye and some another The duches of Brabante and all tho of her countrey were gretly reioysed of this aduenture and sir Gillyam of Tremoyle and syr Geruais of Merande atchyued great grace Than they of the countrey sayde that in the nexte sommer folowyng they wolde wynne it agayne Whan the duke of Burgoyne herde these tydinges and howe that his men that were in garyson in Brabant dyd well and valyauntly he was gladde therof and to incorage theym he wrote pleasaunt letters often tymes to syr Guylliam his knyght Thus they taryed there all that wynter kepinge well their fronters defendynge them selfe fro domage And after the castelles and forteresses of Guerles were better taken hede vnto than they were before Nowe shall I shewe you of another enterprise that Perote of Bernois dyde in Auuergne where he gate gret profite and by what meanes he dyd it I shall shewe we you at lenght IT fortuned the same yere and season aboute the tyme of the myddes of Maye a .xl. companyons aduenturers issued out of Caluset the whiche Perot of Bernoys helde This fortresse stode in Lymozyn These companyons rode forthe at aduenture in to Auuergne and a Gascoyne squyer was their capytayne called Geronet Durante an experte man of armes And bycause the countrey was alwayes in doute of the men of warre that were on the fronters of Burbonoys there was a knyght of the duke of Burgoynes called syr Iohan Boesme Launce a gracyouse and an amorous knyght hauynge great corage to auaunce hymselfe Whyle these englysshe men rode a brode he demanÌ„ded what nombre they were of And it was shewed hym howe they were aboute a .xl. speares What quod he it is lytell to regarde for .xl. speares I wyll set as many against them and so departe fro thence as he was as than and went there as his chefe charge was and that was before Vandachor He gate togyder a .xl. or a fifty speares of Lymozyn and Auuergne and Burbonoyse and with hym there was a knyght called sir Loys Dambter and also sir Loys Dabton and the lorde of saynte Obyse And so toke the feldes without kepyng of any high way they knewe the countrey came to a passage where their enemyes muste nedes passe by reasone of the mountaynes and ryuers whiche were greate and depe by occasion of the snowe fallyng fro the mountayns They had nat ben there halfe an hour but that thenglysshment came thyder and was nat ware of that rencountre Than Boesme launce and his coÌ„pany cauched their speares and came agaynst their enemyes and cryed their cryes whan the englisshment sawe howe they must nedes fight they turned their faces to their enemyes defended them selfe There was a sore rencountre
sir Guy shewe forthe your charge the knyght spake ryght sagely by great leysar shewed the kyng his couÌ„saile how the frenche kyng with his army royall wyll come in to the froÌ„ters of Almayne nat to make any warre agaynst hym but agaynst his enemy the duke of Guerles who had highly defied the kyng their maister with shamfull wordes out of the style of all other defyauÌ„ces the whiche the frenche kyng nor his couÌ„saile can in no wyse suffre Wherfore sir ê™ they the kyng requyreth you as ye be a noble king of his blode and he of yours as all the worlde knoweth that ye wyll nat sustayne ayde nor mentayne the pride of this duke but ye to holde the aliances and coÌ„fyrmacions soÌ„tyme done sworne bytwene thempire of Almayne the realme of FrauÌ„ce the whiche he wyll fermly kepe on his ê‘te Than the kyng answered said sir Guy we are enformed that our cosyn the freÌ„che kyng wyll assemble togider great noÌ„bre of people He neded nat for so smal a mater to assemble suche people to spende so moche to seke his ennemy so farr of for if he had desired me with lesse trauayle I coude well haue caused the duke of Guerles to hame coÌ„e to mercy reason sir ê™ the knight we thanke you that it pleaseth you to say so but the kyng our maister regardeth but lytell his expenses nor trauell of his men but he regardeth his honour to this his couÌ„saile is agreed syth that you nor your couÌ„sayle is nat myscontent with our maister who wyll in no wyse violate nor breke the ordinauÌ„ces confirmacioÌ„s of olde tyme made bitwene the two realmes of FrauÌ„ce almain but kepe mentayne it on the paynes the is ordayned therfore sir we be sent nowe to you Well ê™ the kyng I beleue you well as for our cosyn the frenche kyng shal be welcome in to these ê‘tes as forme I thynke nat to styrre Ther with the messaÌ„gers were ryght ioyous thought they had sped very well thaÌ„ they desyred to haue letts agayne the kyng said they shulde haue That day they taryed dyned with the kynge had good chere after dyner they wente to their lodgynges Wherto shulde I make long ê“cesse they sped so well that they had letters suche answere as pleased theÌ„ well Than they toke leaue of the kyng of Almayne retourned the same way they came Nowe let vs speke of the freÌ„che kyng ¶ Howe therle of Bloys sent to the frenche kyng .ii. C. speares the duke of Loraine and the lorde Henry of Bare came to the kyng And howe the dukes of Iullyers and Guerles knewe that the Frenche kyng came on them Cap. C .xxxix. TO accoÌ„plyshe this vyage euery lorde in FrauÌ„ce aê‘elled theÌ„ selfe of euery thyng nedefull the lordê knightes squiers other men of warre departed fro thir owne places as well fro Auergne couergne quercy lymosyn poytou xaynton as fro Bretayne normaÌ„dy aniou tourayn chaÌ„payn and fro all the lymitacioÌ„s of the realme of FraÌ„ce Fewest men came out of fardest couÌ„treis and the most noÌ„bre out of Burgoyn picardy bare lorayne bicause they of the body of FrauÌ„ce were in the waye therfore they were best trauelled It was ordayned by the kyng his couÌ„sayle that no man shulde take any thyg in the couÌ„tre wtout payeng therfore to theÌ„cent that the pore men shulde nat be greued but for all that ordinauÌ„ce the whiche was well knowen and sprede abrode vpon payne of great punissyon yet the men of warre ofte tymes sore trauelled the couÌ„tries as they passed through they coude nat absteyne for they were but yuell payde of their wages and they must nedes lyue That was their excuse whan they were blamed for their pyllage by the constable marshalles or capitaynes The erle of Bloyes was sente vnto to sende two hundred speares of chosen men and was promysed well to be payde I can nat saye howe he was dalte with all but he sente to serue the kynge two hundred speares out of the countie of Bloyes And capitayns of them was the lorde of Vyenne sir Guyllyam of saynt Martyne sir Wyllyam of Chaumont and the lorde Montigny these foure had the gouernaunce of the erle of Bloys bande They drewe lytell and lytell towardes ChaÌ„payne thyder they were ordayned to go Than the Frenche kynge departed from Moustreau Faulte yon and tooke the waye to Chalous in Champayne As than the duke of Berrey was nat come for or his departyng he loked to here tidynges fro sir Helyon of Lignacke whom he had sente to the duke of Lancastre to Bayon to haue to his wyfe the dukes doghter as ye haue herde before But he had her nat For the duke of Lancastre dissymuled with hym and helde styll the knyght with hym at Bayon He treated with two parties but he rather enclyned to the kynge of Castyle than to the duke of Berrey and in lyke wyse so dyde the lady Custaunce his wyfe The duke made good chere to bothe parties to the entent to enflame them the soner to the maryage of his doughter The kyng of Castyls messangers sore traueyled in treatyng of this maryage They rested nat to ryde in and out bytwene the parties They offered great gyftes to those messangers but they of fred nothynge to sir Helyon of Lignacke Whan it was knowen in the realme of FrauÌ„ce that the kyng was at Chalous on his waye towardes the duchy of Guerles than euery man departed fro their houses and drewe after the kyng Than came the duke of Berrey and lodged at Espinay and the duke of Burbone at another place the erle of Marche the erle Dolphyn of Auergne the erle of saynt Pole and the erle of Tourayne And with the kynge was the duke of Burgoyne the duke of Lorayne the duke of Tourayne the constable of Fraunce sir Guye of Tremoile sir Iohan of Beull And the countrey about Chalous and Raynes more than .xii. leages all about was clene eaten vp with the men of warre As than the lorde of Coucy was nat retourned fro the pope Than retourned sir Wyllyam of HaÌ„court and mayster yues Orient and founde the kynge and his vncles at Chalous The kyng was ioyouse of their coÌ„myng and demaunded tidynges They shewed the kyng what they had founde done and sayd howe the kynge of Almaygne had made them good chere and said to the kyng Sir whan the kyng had reed the copye of the defyaunce that the duke of Guerles had sent to you bothe he and his couÌ„sayle were yuell coÌ„tent therwith and sayd howe it was done by great presuÌ„pcyon and pride And we can parceyue none other but he and his couÌ„saile is well content with your enterprice and ye shall haue no let by hym the kynge is well content to vpholde and maynteyne the auncient alyauÌ„ces that is bytwene the empyre and FrauÌ„ce he saythe ye shall haue no
and the lorde of Mountcombre a valyaunt knyght of Scotlande fought togyther hande to hande ryght valyauntly without lettynge of any other for euery man had ynough to do So longe they two fought that perforce of armes syr Henry Percy was taken prisoner by the sayde lorde of Mountcomber THe knyghtes squiers of Scotlande as sir Mare Adremench sir Thomas Auernesquyn syr Willyam syr Iames and sir Alysander Lymsey the lorde of Faulcon for Iohan of saynte de Laur syr Patryke of Donbare sir Iohan and syr Water Saynte clere sir Iohan Makyrcll sir Guystewarde syr Iohan Halebreton syr Alysaunder Ramsey Roberte Colounnie and his two sonnes Iohan and Roberte who were there made knyghtes and a hundred knyghtes and squyers that I can nat name All these ryght valyauntly dyd acquyte them selfe And on the englysshe parte before that the lorde Percy was taken and after there fought valyauntly syr Rafe Longeble syr Mathewe Redman syr Thomas Ogle sir Thomas Gray sir Thomas Hekon sir Thomas Abreton sir Iohan Lyerbon sir Willyam Walsyngham the baron of Helcon sir Iohan of Culpedup the seneschall of yorke and dyuers other fotemen Wherto should I write longe proces this was a sore batayle and well foughten And as fortune is alwayes chaungeable though the englisshmen were more in nombre than the scottes and were ryght valyaunt men of warre and well experte and that at the fyrste fronte they reculed backe the scottes yet fynally the scottes optaygned the place and vyctory and all the foresaid englysshmen taken and a hundred mo sauynge sir Mathewe Rodman capytayne of Berwyke who whan he knewe no remedy nor recoueraunce and sawe his company flye fro the scottes and yelded theym on euery syde than he toke his horse and departed to saue hym selfe The same season aboute the ende of this dyscomfyture there was an englysshe squyer called Thomas Veleton a goodly and a valyant man and that was well sene for of all that nyght he wolde nother flye nor yet yelde hym It was sayd he had made a vowe at a feest in Englande that the first tyme that euer he sawe englisshe men scottes in batayle he wolde so do his deuoyre to his power in suche wyse that eyther he wolde be reputed for the best doer on bothe sydes or els to dye in the payne he was called a valyaunt and a hardy man and dyd so moche by his prowes that vnder the baner of the erle of Morette he dyd suche valyauntnesse in armes that the scottes hadde maruayle therof and so was slayne in fyghtynge The scottes wolde gladly haue taken hym alyue but he wolde neuer yelde he hoped euer to haue been rescewed And with him there was a scottysshe squier slayne cosyn to the kynge of scottes called Symon Glaudyn His dethe was greatly complayned of the scottes This batayle was fierse and cruell tyll it came to the ende of the discomfyture but whan the scottes sawe the englysshmen recule and yelde theÌ„selfe than the scottes were curtes and sette theym to their raunsome and euery manne sayde to his prysoner Syrs go and vnarme you and take youre case I am your mayster and so made their prisoners as good chere as though they had ben brethren without doyng to theÌ„ any doÌ„mage The chasâ—â—ndured a fyue englysshe myles and if the scottes had been men ynowe there had none scaped but outher they had ben taken or slayne And if Archambault Duglas and the erle of Fen the erle Surlant and other of the great coÌ„pany who were gone towardes Carlyle had ben there by all lykelyhode they had taken the bysshoppe of Durham and the towne of Newcastell vpon tyme. I shall shewe you howe The same euenyng that the Percyes deê‘ted fro Newcastell as ye haue herde before the bysshop of Durham with the rerebande caÌ„e to Newcastell supped And as he satte at the table he had ymagmacion in hym selfe howe he dyd nat acquite hym selfe well to se the Englysshe men in the felde and he to be within the towne Incontynent he caused the table to be taken away and coÌ„maunded to sadell his horses and to sowne the truÌ„pettes called vp men in the towne to arme them selfe and to mount on their horses and foote men to order them selfe to departe And thus euery man departed out of the towne to the nombre of seuyn thousande two thousande on horsebacke and Fyue thousande a fote They toke their waye towarde Ottenbourg where as the batayle had ben and by that tyme they hadde gone two myle from Newcastell tidynges came to theym howe their men were fightynge with the scottes Ther with the bysshoppe rested there and incontynent came mo flyeng faste that they were out of brethe Than they were demauÌ„ded howe the mater wente they aunswered and sayde Right yuell We be all disconfyted Here cometh the scottes chasynge of vs. These tidynges troubled the Englysshmen and began to doute And agayne the thirde tyme men came flyeng as fast as they might WhanÌ„e the men of the bysshoprike of Durham herde of these yuell tidynges they were abasshed in suche wise that they brake their array so that the bysshoppe coude nat holde togyder the nombre of fyue huÌ„dred It was thought that if the scottes had folowed them in any nombre seyng that it was night that in thentryng in to the towne the Englissh men so abasshed the towne had ben won The bysshope of Durham beyng in the felde had good wyll to haue socoured the englysshmen recoÌ„forted his men asmoche as he coude but he sawe his owne men flye as well as other Than he demaunded cousaile of sir Wyllyam Lussey and of sir Thomas Clyfforde and of other knyghtes what was was best to do These knyghtes for their honoure wolde gyue hym no counsayle For they thought to retourne agayne and do nothyng shulde sowne greatly to their blame and to go for the myght be to their great doÌ„mage and so stode styll wolde gyue none answere and the lengar they stode the fewer they were for some styll stale awaye Than the bysshoppe sayd Sirs all thynges considred it is none honour to putte all in parell nor to make of one yuell dommage twayne We here howe our company be disconfyted we can nat remedy it For to go to recouer them we knowe nat with whom nor with what nombre we shall mete Lette vs retourne fayre and easely for this night to Newcastell and to more we lette vs drawe toguyder and go loke on our enemyes Euery man answered as god wyll so be it Therwith they retourned to Newcastell Thus a man maye consyder the great defaute that is in men that be abasshed and disconfyted For if they had kepte them togyder and haue turned agayn suche as fledde they had disconfyted the scottes This was the opynion of dyuers And bycause they dyde nat thus the scottes had the vyctorie ¶ Howe sir Mathue Reedman deê‘ted fro the batayle to saue hym selfe and howe sir Iames Lymsaye was taken
he shulde go with him and thought that this companyons yet shulde se that he had founde somwhat and thought the same manne shulde do them some seruyce in their lodgynges and so Godynos rode on before on a lowe hackeney and the almayne folowed hym a foote with a hewynge axe on his necke wherwith he had wrought in the wode Godinos page lepte on his maysters courser and bare his bassenette and speare and folowed them halfe slepynge bycause he had rysen so early And the almayn who knewe nat whyder he shuld go nor what they wolde do with hym thought to delyuer hymselfe and came fayre and easely to Godynos and lyfte vp his are and strake hym suche a stroke on the heed that he claue it to the teth and so ouerthrewe hym starke deed the page knewe nat therof tyll he sawe his mayster fall Than the vyllayne fledde in to the wode and saued hymselfe This aduenture fell to Godinos wherwith suche as knewe hym were sore dyspleased and specyally they of Auuergne for he was the man of armes that was moste doughted of the englisshmen in those parties and he that dyd them most domage If he had been in prisone he shulde haue ben quyted out and if it had been for twenty thousande frankes ¶ Nowe lette vs retourne to the duke of Iulyers ¶ Howe the duke of Iuliers and the archebysshop of Coloygne departed fro the frenche kynge and wente to Nymay to the duke of Guerles and howe by their meanes he was reconsyled and brought to peace with the frenche kynge and with the duches of Brabante Cap. C.xlix YE knowe well as it hathe ben shewed here before howe the duke of Iulyers made his peace with the frenche king by meanes of the bysshoppes that treated in that behalfe and also to saye the trouthe the duke of Lorayne his cosyn toke great payne in the mater And as ye haue herde the duke promysed to go to his sonne the duke of Guerles and to cause hym to come to the kynges mercy or els to make hym warre Thus the duke of Iulyers was fayne to promyse or els all his countrey had ben loste Thus the duke of Iulyers and the archbysshoppe toke their iourney to go in to Guerles and passed the ryuer and came to Nymay where as the duke was who receyued his father with great ioye as he was bounde to do for there is nothynge so nere a man as his father and mother But he was nothynge glad of that he herde howe that the duke his father was agreed with the frenche kynge Than the duke of Iuliers and the bysshop shewed hym at length the hole mater in what case he and his lande stode in He made lytle therof for he was so sore alyed with the kynge of Englande that he wolde nat forsake hym for his herte was good englysshe and so excused hym selfe greatly and sayde to his father syr let me alone I wyll abyde the aduenture and if I take domage by reason of the frenche kynges comynge I am yonge ynough to beare it and to be reuenged herafter on some parte of the realme of Fraunce or vppon my neyghbours the brabansoys there is no lorde canne kepe warre without some domage sometyme lese and sometyme wynne Whan his father the duke of Iulyers herde hym so styffe in his opynyon he was sore dyspleased with him and sayd Sonne Willyam for whome make you youre warre and who be they that shall reuenge your domage Syr quod he the kynge of Englande and his puysaunce and I haue gret maruayle that I here no tydynges of the englysshe army that is on the see for if they were come as they haue promysed me to do I wolde haue wakened the frenche men oftener thanne ones or this tyme. What quod his father do you trust and abyde for the englysshmen they are so besyed in euery quarter that they wote nat to whome to entende The duke of Lancastre our cosyn lyeth at Bayon or at Burdeaux and is retourned out of Spayne in a small ordre and hath lost his men and tyme and he hath sente in to Englande for to haue mo men of armes and archers and he can nat get to the nombre of .xx. speares Also the englysshe men haue had but late in playne batayle a great domage in Northumberlande for all their chyualry aboute Newcastell vpon Tyne were ouerthrowen and slayne and taken so that as nowe the realme of Englande is nat in good quyete nor reste Wherfore it is nat for you to trust at this tyme on the englysshe men for of them ye shall haue no comforte Wherfore I coūsayle you to be ruled by vs and we shall make your peace with the frenche kyng shall do so moche that ye shall nouther receyue shame nor domage Syr quod the duke of Guerles howe may I with myne honoure acorde with the Frenche kynge though I shulde lese all my hole lande go dwell in some other place surely I wyll nat do it I am to sore alyed with the kinge of Englande and also I haue defyed the frenche kynge Thynke you that for feare of hym I shulde reuoke my wordes or breke my seale ye wolde I shulde be dyshonored I requyre you let me alone I shall defende my self right well agaynst them I set lytell by their thretenynges The waters and raynes and colde wethers shall so fight for me or the tyme of Ianyuer come that they shall be so wery that the hardyest of theym shall wysshe them selfe at home in their owne houses THus at the begynnynge of this treatie the duke of Iuliers and the bysshoppe of Coloyne coulde nat breke the duke of Guerles purpose and yet they were with hym a sixe dayes and euery day in counsayle And whan the duke of Iulyers sawe no otherways he began sore to argue against his sonne and sayd Sonne if ye wyll nat byleue me surely I shall dysplease you and as for your enherytaunce of the duchy of Iulyers ye shall neuer haue one foote therof but rather I shall gyue it to a straunger who shall be of puyssaunce to defende it agaynste you ye are but a foole if ye wyll nat beleue my counsayle Whan the duke of Guerles sawe his father inflamed with ire than to apease his displeasure sayd Sir than counsayle me to myne honour and at your desyre I shall leane therto for syr Iowe to you all obeysaunce and wyll do Than the duke of Iulyers sayde Sonne nowe ye speke as ye shulde do and I shall loke for your honoure asmoche as I wolde do for myne owne Than it was deuysed by great delyberacion of counsayle that for to saue the honoure on all parties that the duke of Guerles shulde go to the frenche kynge and to do hym honoure and reuerence as he ought to do to a Kynge and to make his excuse of the defyaunce that he had sente to the kynge and to say after this maner Syr trewe it is there was a letter
departed fro the cytie of Tholous with a fyue hundred horse and rode so longe that he came to Tarbe in Bygore and fro thence to Morloys in Bierne And the erle of Foiz who was signyfied of his comyng was ioyfull and coÌ„maunded all his offycers that the towne of Ortays shulde be well aparelled to receyue him for he sayd the marshals comynge pleased hym ryght well lodgynges for his men were made redy and the erle rode out in to the feldes to mete with hym and mothan thre hundred horses and there receyued hym with good chere And he was at Ortays a syre dayes and the marshall sayd to the erle howe the frenche kynge had great affection to se the countrey of Languedoc and to se hym Than the erle aunswered and sayd Syr the kynge shall be ryght welcome and gladde I wolde be to se hym yea but sir quod the marshall it is the kynges entension at his comyng playnely to knowe whether ye wyll holde you frenche or englissh for alwayes ye haue dissymuled out the warre for ye wolde neuer arme you for no desyre A sir quod the erle I thanke you in that ye haue shewed me somoche For syr though I wolde neuer arme me nor take no parte there hath been good cause why As for the warre bytwene Englande and FrauÌ„ce I haue nothynge to do therwith I holde my countrey of Bierne of no man but of good and the sworde What haue I to do to put my selfe in seruytude or in dyspleasure of one kynge or other yet I knowe well myne aduersaryes of Armynake haue done that in them is to bring me in the indyngnacion of bothe partyes for or the prince of Wales wente in to Spayne by the informacyon of the erle of Armynake the prince wolde haue made me warre he was so sore moued therto that he had done so and sir Iohan Chandos had nat broken his purpose but I thanke god alwayes I haue borne my selfe as mekely and as curteyssy as I coulde and shall do as longe as I lyue and whan I am deed let the maters go as they wyll Thus the erle of Foyze and the marshall passed the tyme togyder And at their departure the erle gaue hym a fayre courser a fayre mule and a nother good horse all thre togyther rychely sadylled and aparelled And he gaue to syr Roberte of Challus and to syr Rycharde Dolphyn to eche of them two huÌ„dred frankes and to fyue other squyers to eche of them fifty frankes Than the marshall toke leaue to departe to Tholous And I syr Iohan Froysart was there the same tyme and wolde haue departed fro Ortays with hym but the Erle of Foyze wolde nat suffre me and sayd I shulde nat as than departe So it behoued me to byde his pleasure Sir Loys departed fro Ortays and rode to Tarbe and the lorde Dolphyn of Bygore conueyed him and sir Peter of Calestan one of the erle of Foiz knyghtes ABoute the same season there was at Burdeaux a dede of armes done before the duke of Lancastre by fyue englisshmen of his owne house and fyue frenche menne some of theym were of the marshall of Fraunce house Fyrst by ser Pecton Dallagnie a gascone englyssh agaynst sir Mores Mannigmente frenche Seconde bytwene sir Aragon Raymon englysshe agaynst the bastarde of Chauigny Frenche The thyrde bytwene Loys Malapus capytayne of Agremortes frenche agaynst Iaquemyn Corne de Cerfe englysshe Fourthe bytwene Archambalte de Villyers frenche and the sonne of the lorde of Chaumonte gascone englysshe The fyfte by Willyam Foucalt frenche against the brother of the lorde of Chaumont englysshe And to se these armes acomplysshed dyuers knyghtes and squiers of Bierne of therle of Foiz house toke their way towarde Burdeaux I wente with them in company bytwene Ortars and Burdeaux is but .xxiiii. myle There we sawe the sayde armes done before saynte Andrews in the presence of the duke of Lancastre and the duches their doughter and other ladyes and damosels of the couÌ„trey These knightes were nat all armed at ones but euery man by hym selfe with his felowe aparte their armes were thre courses with a speare thre strokes with a sworde thre with an are and thre with a dagger and all a horsehacke And this they dyd in thre dayes and none of all tenne hurte but sir Raymon slewe the bastardes horse wherwith the duke of Lancastre was sore dysplesed and blamed greatly the knight bicause he bare his staffe so lowe and the duke gaue the bastarde one of his horses Whan this was accomplysshed euery man deê‘ted to their owne houses AN one after the duchesse of Lancastre ordayned to goo in to Castyle and to leade with her Katheryne her doughter who shulde haue in maryage the kynge of Castyls sonne And the duchesse entente was fyrste or she wolde entre in to Castyle to go to Mantuell where somtyme was the batayle bytwene kynge don Peter her father agaynste kynge Henry of Castyle and of sir Bertram of Clesquyn And there she purposed to make iuste enquiry where the kynge her father lay buryed and to dygge vp his bones and to haue them to the cytie of Cyuill and there to bury theym agayne rychly as it appertayned to a kynge In the begynnynge of Marche whanne the sonne beganne to mount and the dayes to encrease than the duches of Lancastre was redy with her doughter and so departed fro Burdeaux and went to Bayon and there the duke of Lancastre toke leaue of her and he retourned to Burdeaux And the ladyes rode forthe to Dape and there she was well receyued for the cyte of Dape was vnder the obeysaunce of the kynge of Englande There she rested two dayes and than passed throughe the countrey of Basquence and passed by the passe of Rouceualx and entred in to Nauerre and came to Panpilona and there founde the kyng of Nauer and the quene who receyued the duchesse honourably The quene of Nauer was suster to the kynge of Castyle The duches and her doughter were a monethe passynge throughe the realme of Nauer for they taryed with the Kynge and with the quene a certayne space and their costes and charges were borne and payed for Than they entred in to Spaygne and at the entre of the realme they founde of the kynge of Castyls seruauntes redy there to receyue theym acordynge as they were commaunded And than the yonge prince was called prince of Galyce ¶ Howe the duches of Lancastre departed fro the kynge of Castyle and wente to Mantuell to brynge her fathers bones to Ciuyll and howe the frenche kynge sent ambassadours to the erle of Foize to treate for the maryage of the duke of Berrey his vncle with the doughter of the erle of Boloyne Cap. C.lv. WHan all these matters were renewed and the maryage confyrmed than the duchesse of Lancastre lefte her doughter with the king with her yonge husbande that shulde mary her who was of the age of eight yeres the duches toke leaue
and so wente throughe the stretes to the kynges lodgynge called saynt Polle on the ryuer of Sayne with the quene there were mo than a thousande horses And the kyng went fro the palays to the ryuer of Sayne toke there a barge wente by water to his house of saynt Polle And for all that the house was great and large well amended yet the kyng had caused in the great court nere to the gate fro the Ryuer to be made a great halle whiche was couered ouer with clothes of the armes of Normandy And the walles were haÌ„ged with clothes of arras of sondrie hystories In this hall the kynge gaue the ladyes a supper but the quene kepte her chaÌ„bre she was no more sene that nyght The other ladies and the kyng and the lordes daunsed and reuelled all that nyght nerchande tyll it was daye in the mornyng Than euery person departed and went to their lodgynges to slepe for it was good tyme. Nowe I shall shewe you what gyftes and preseÌ„tes they of Parys gaue on the Tuesday before noon to the quene and to the duchesse of Thourayne who was but newly come in to Fraunce oute of Lombardy for she was doughter to the duke of Myllayne and she had the same yere wedded Loyes duke of Thourayne She was named Valentyne she had neuer before ben at Parys therfore the burgesses of Parys gaue her her welcome ON this Tuesday aboute .xii. of the clocke about a .xl. burgesses of Parys of the most notablest persons of the cytie all in one sute of clothynge came to the kynges house of saynt Polle brought a present for the quene through the stretes of Parys The present was in a lytter richely wrought and borne bytwene two strong meÌ„ properly apparelled lyke two auncient sage persones The lytter had a celler of a thynne fyue clothe of sylke so that the iewelles that were in the litter might well be sene through Whan they came to saint Polle first they caÌ„e in to the kynges chambre whiche was redy apparelled to receyue them for alwayes suche as bringeth any thyng are welcome thaÌ„ these burgesses sette downe the lytter on two trestels in the myddes of the chambre Than they kneled downe before the kyng and said Right dere lorde and noble kyng your burgesses of Parys presenteth your grace these iewelles here in this lytter in the welcomyÌ„g of your grace into the gouernauÌ„ce of your realme of Fraunce Than the kyng sayd good men I thaÌ„ke you they are right goodly and riche than the burgesses rose drewe backe therwith toke their leaue Whan they were gone the kynge sayd to sir Wyllyam of Lordes and to Montague who were by hym Sirs let vs go nere to this lytter se these presentes more nerer Than the kynge well regarded them Fyrst there were foure pottes of golde sixe lauers of golde sixe plattes of golde All this vessell wayed a huÌ„dred and fyftie marke of golde In lyke maner a nother sorte of burgesses richely apparelled all in one lyuerey came to the quene and presented her another lytter whiche was borne in to her chambre shewynge howe the good men of Parys dyde recoÌ„mende them to her grace and sent her that present Whiche present was a shippe of golde two great flagoÌ„s of golde two dredge boxes of golde two saltes of golde sixe pottes golde sixe lauers of golde .xii. Lampes of syluer two basons of syluer The soÌ„me was thre hundred marke what golde what syluer This present was brought in a lytter bytwene two men one in semblaunce of a Beare and the other in semblaunce of an Vnycorne The thirde present in lykewise was brought in to the duches of Thourayns chambre by two men fygured in the fourme of two blacke Moores richely apparelled with white towelles about their heedes lyke sarazins The lytter was fayre and riche couered with a fyne clothe of sylke and brought by .xii. burgesses all in one apparell who gaue this present to the sayd duchesse In the whiche presente there was a shippe of golde a great potte of golde two ewers golde two great plattes golde two saltes golde sixe pottes syluer two dosin saucers sylner two dosyn boules syluer SoÌ„me golde and syluer two huÌ„dred markes This present greatly reioysed the duches of Thourayne as it was reason for it was goodly riche and curtesly she thanked them of their gyfte Thus this Tuesdaye these presentes were gyuen to the kyng the quene and to the duchesse of Thourayne It was greatly to be consydred the valeur of these presentes also the puyssaunce of the parisyens For it was shewed me by one who sawe all these pÌ„sentes that they cost the parisiens more than threscore thousande crownes of golde After these presentes this delyuered it was tyme to go to dyner But that daye the kynge and the quene other ladyes dyned in their chambres the soner to haue done For at thre of the clocke at after dyner they shulde drawe in to the felde of saynt Katheryne where as there was ordayned stages and scaffoldes a great nombre for the kynge and the quene and other to beholde the iustes ¶ Nowe shall I name by order the knyghtes that were called the kynges knyghtes of the sonne of golde there were thyrtie of theÌ„ FIrste the duke of Berrey the duke of Burgoyne the duke of Burbone the erle de la Marche sir Iaquemarte of Burbone his brother the lorde Guillyam of Namure sir Olyuer of Clysson constable of FrauÌ„ce syr Iohan of Vien sir Iames of Vien lorde of Espaigny syr Guy of Tremoyle sir Gillyam his brother sir Phylyp of Bare the lorde of Rocheforde bretone the lorde of Raies the lorde Beamond syr Iohan of Barbencon the hazle of FrauÌ„ce the lorde of Tourty norman syr Iohan of Barres the lorde of Nantoyllet the lorde of Rochfoucaâ—t the lord of Garanciers sir Iohan of Harpedante the barone Dinury syr Willyam Marcyell syr Raynolde of Roye syr Geffrey of Caryn syr Charles of Changeet and sir Gylliam of Lignac All these knyghtes were armed and sheldes lyke there in the sonne raye and aboute thre of the clocke they were in the place of saint Kateryne and thyder was come ladyes and damosels And firste the quene came thyder in a chare rychely aparelled and all other ladyes in good ordre and entred into the scaffoldes that were ordeyned for them Than came the frenche kyng redy apparelled to iuste whiche pastyme he loued ryght well he was well accompanyed Than the iustes beganne there were many lordes of dyuers countreys Syr Gyllyam of Heynalt erle of Ostrenant iusted ryght goodly and so dyd suche knyghtes as came with hym as the lorde of Gomminies sir Iohan of Andregenes the lorde of Cautan syr Ausell of Transegynes and sir Clinquart of Hermo all dyde well their deuoyre to the prays of the ladyes Also there iusted well the duke of Irelande who was all that seasone with the frenche kynge Also there iusted well a knyght of
vs ye truely sirs quod they on a condycion that is to gyue vs ten thousande fraÌ„kes for the prouisyons that is in the castell for we are wery of the warre we wolde drawe in to Bretayne These two knyghtes were ryght gladde of those wordes and sayd Ah ye speke to vs of marchandyse and we shall here you gladly But as nowe we haue nat here the money redy we shall prouyde for it Well sirs ê™ they of Vanchador whan ye are redy gyue vs knowledge and we shall kepe couenaunt But sirs kepe this mater secretly and sagely for if it were knowen amonge myne owne company they wolde take vs perforce and slee vs than shulde bothe you and I fayle of our ententes Syr quod they dought nat therof we shall so conuey the mater that ye shall take no domage Therwith they departed one fro a nother the bretons entred in to Vanchador and the frenche knyghtes retourned to their bastydes SIr Willyam Butler and syr Iohan Boesme lauÌ„ce in this mater thought nothynge but good supposynge that the bretons wolde nat dysceyue theym as to haue their money and to betraye them also in contynente they wrote to the duke of Berrey who was as than at Ryon in Auuergne they sent with the letter a gentleman named Guyomell of saynte Wydall and infourmed hym of all the mater thynkyng howe it shulde be ioyouse tydynges to the duke for he greatly desyred to haue that castell This squyer tooke the letter and departed fro the bastydes and rode so longe through Lymosyn Auuergne that he came to Ryon and there he founde the duke of Berrey and delyuered hym his letters fro the two knyghtes The duke reed the letters and whan he had well vnderstande the contentes therof the duke was gladde and anone after the duke called his counsayle and his treasourers and said Sirs beholde here is newe tydynges our knyghtes that kepeth the bastydes before Vanchador haue written to vs that they are in certayne treatie with the capytayns within the castell they offer to yeld vp the fortresse for the soÌ„me of tenne thousande frankes that is no great soÌ„me for euery yere it coste them of Lymosyn and of Auuergne to kepe warre against them more than threscore thousande frankes We wyll accepte their offre betymes leste they repente them herafter therfore my treasourers make vp the soÌ„me of tenne thousande frankes we wyll lende them to the countrey and whan I am in possession of the castell I wyll rayse a tayle in Lymosyn and in the fronters whiche were vnder their patesynge they shall pay me the double Sir quod the treasourers it shall be made redy within these fyue or syxe dayes Well quod the duke I am contente Thus that matter was concluded The tresourers made redy the money in crownes of the sonne and put it in to foure cofers The same daye that the money shulde haue been sente there came to Ryon to the duke of Berry the Dolphyn of Auuergne and the lorde of Reueyll for certayne maters touchynge them selfe They were welcome to the duke and the Duke was so ioyfull of the treatie for Vanchador that he coude nat kepe it secrete but shewed to these two knightes the letters sente to hym fro syr Willyam Butler and syr Iohan Boesme Launce Whan they herde it they studyed a lytell Than the duke sayde syr wheron do yemuse se you any suspectiousnes in this mater I pray you shewe me or I sende the money Syr quod the erle Dolphyn ye know well howe therle of Army nake and I were ordeyned to by and to gette agayne as many fortresses as we coude in the couÌ„treys of Auuergne Carnesyn Rouergne and Lymosyn With dyuers we made treatyes but for all that euer we coulde do we coulde neuer brynge them of Vanchador to herkyn or to leane to any maner of treatie nother to gyue it vp nor to selle it Whan we spake therof they wolde skante make vs an aunswere and syr I knowe if they nowe wyll make this treatie with you it is nat for defaute of vitayles for if none came to theym this eyght yere yet they haue ynough wherfore we haue maruayle what shulde moue them therto at this presente tyme therfore it maketh vs to doute of traysone for men of warre inclosed in fortresses are sore imagyners and whan their imaginacion inclyneth to any yuell dede they wyll craftely colour it wherfore sir take good aduyse Well syrs quod the duke ye haue sayd well we shall prouyde for the mater more substancyally than I thought to haue done THanne the duke of Berrey called to hym one of his knyghtes called syr Peter Mespyn and sayde to hym Syr ye shall go with this money to the bastydes before Vanchadore and saye to syr Wyllyam Butler to syr Iohan Boesme launce that in the mater they wrote to me of that they deale therin substancyally and that they trust nat to moche in the bretons within Vanchador and shewe them that we haue herde more tydinges than they be ware of wherfore lette theym be well aduysed of all poyntes Thus this knyght departed fro Ryon with the money he rode with his company tyll he came to the bastydes whyther he was welcome The somers with the money were dyscharged and put in sauegarde Than syr Peter Mespyn opened his message and said Syrs my lorde the duke of Berrey sendeth you worde by me that as touchynge the treatye that ye are in hande withall touchyng the garyson of Vanchador he coÌ„maundeth you to worke wysely that ye lese nat bothe your bodyes and the money that he hath sent you also he sayth he hath herde tydynges that pleaseth hym nothynge wherfore he wyll ye take good hede be well aduysed for he douteth of trayson he sayeth that often tymes the couÌ„trey of Auuergne and Lymosyn wolde haue gyuen for the fortresse of Vanchadore threscore thousande frankes and nowe to offre it for ten thousande causeth my lorde the duke and his counsayle to haue suspecte The two knightes whan they herde that they were pensyue and aunswered and sayde We se well double wytte is better than syngle ye say well we thanke you of your aduyse and ye shall abyde here styll with vs and helpe to counsayle vs as it is reason within these two daies we shall se howe the mater shall come to passe he sayde he was contente so to do Thanne anone after these two knyghtes sente a varlet to the castell of Vanchador for it was as than treuce bytwene the parties signyfyed to Alayne Rour and to Peter Rour that the tenne thousande frankes were redy and desyringe theym to kepe their promesse And they answered the varlet that they wold kepe their promesse surely and that whan so euer they wolde come to sende theym worde therof ALayne and Peter Rour who thought no good as it was knowen and ê“ued whan their purpose was broken and knowen for they had deuysed to haue taken sir Willyam
Butler and syr Iohan Boesme launce as they shuld haue entred in to the castell of Vanchador by reasone of a great towre that was within the castell the whiche was always able to beate the castell These two knyghtes bretons who entended nothynge but malesse layde in busshement in this towre thyrty men in harnesse to the entent that whan the frenche men were entred in to the castell thynkynge to be lordes therof that in the night these thyrty shulde issue out and slee take the frenche men at their pleasure Whan they had thus ordayned than they sente to syr Willyam Butler and to sir Iohan Boesme launce that they shulde come and bringe with them their money and they shulde haue the castell opened Of these newes the frenche men were ioyous and sayd to the messanger Retourne to your maysters and shewe them that to morowe in the mornyng we shall come thyder The messanger retourned and shewed this to his maysters The frenche knyghtes wente to counsayle togyder and dyd cast more doutes than they dyd before by reason of the wordes that the duke of Berrey had sente them by six Peter Mespyn Than they ordeyned and concluded to lay a busshemente of their men nere to the castell and than they with thyrty of their men harnessed vnder couert shulde go before and entre into the castell and to regarde wyselye the castell within and to cast all maner of doutes and than if they se any thynge to suspecte than one of them to blowe a horne and to kepe the bridge and gate open and at the sowne of the horne the busshement to come to the gate as faste as they canne and to entre and take season of the castell Thus as it was ordayned so it was done The next mornyng euery man was redy the busshement layde of a syxe score speares and the two knyghtes with thyrty in their company couertly armed came to Vanchador and syr Peter Mespyn was with them with the money trussed properly in thre panyers vpon two somers they founde the two bretons redy at the barryers who opened the barryers agaynste their comyng Whan they were entred and within the gate than the two bretons wolde haue closed the gate after them but the frenche knyghtes said Nay syrs nat so be ye true marchauntes or nat ye knowe well ye muste yelde vp to vs this castell for the payeng of the sōme of tenne thousande frankes the which is here redy ye maye se them here vpon this somer if ye kepe trouth with vs so shall we do with yon With those wordes Alayne and Peter Rour wyste nat what to say but to bringe the frenche men out of suspecte they aunswered Syrs ye saye well we are contente as ye please Thus they wente forthe and lefte the barryers open for if it hadde ben closed the busshment coulde nat haue entred to haue come tyme ynough to haue resysted the false turne that the bretons had deuysed For ymagyners shulde haue euery thyng as they lyst and if there were nat counter ymaginers agaynst thē Bothe the frenche men and bretons entred in at the gate than Alayne and Peter Roux wolde haue closed the gate but than the frenche men sayd Syrs let the gate alone we wyll haue it open it is reason we are redy to delyuer you our money acordynge to our promesse Well syrs quod the bretons lette se laye forthe the money With a good wyll quod the frenche men There they layde forthe a couerlet and the florens layde abrode In the meane season whyle Alayne and Peter Roux behelde the fayre sōme of florēce the frenche knyghtes went aboute to se the maner of the castell Thanne syr Peter Mespyn came to syr Willyam Butler sayd syr cause this great towre to be opened or ye paye all your money for there may be within it a busshmente wherby we maye be atrapped and lose bothe our bodyes and the money also Than syr Willyam sayd to Alayne Syr open this towre we wyll se it open or we delyuer our money Syr quod Alayne I canne nat do so the keyes be lost With those wordes the frenche knightes had more suspecte in the mater than they had before and said Alayne it can nat be that ye shulde lese the keyes of the soueraygne towre of this castell open it with fayrenesse or els we shall open it perforce forye haue promised and sworne to rendre to vs the castell as it is without fraude or male engyn and therfore you to haue ten thousande frankes the whiche sōme is here redy to be delyuered than Alayne aunswered agayne and sayd I wyll nat open it tyll I haue receyued the money and layde it in sauegarde than whan I haue receyued the money I shall serche for the keys Sirs quod they we wyll nat abyde so longe we se clerely by your wordes that your meanyng is nat good for you wyll dysceyue and betraye vs wherfore we lay our hādes on you Alayne and on your brother Peter in the name of the kynge our soueraygne lorde and the duke of Berrey we wyll haue this towre incontynent opened perforce and serche euery place within this castell bothe aboue and beneth to se if ye haue layde any busshemente or nat and if we fynde in the castell any thyng done by you that ought nat to be done ye are loste without redempcyon or pardone for reasone wyll so and if we fynde the castell as it ought to be we shall kepe our bargayne with you well truely and shall conducte you whyder ye lyste to the gates of Auignon if ye wyll whan Alayne and Peter Roux sawe howe the mater wente and that they were arested they were sore abasshed and were as halfe deed repented them that they had doone so moche for they sawe well they were dysceyued Than the frenche knightes perceyued well howe they were culpable and that the mater was nat well than they made a signe to hym that bare the horne to blowe so he dyd Whan the french busshement herde it they came to the castell as faste as their horses coulde ryn sayd Go we to Vanchadore they blowe for vs it semeth our men hath nat founde the castell acording as it was promysed we thynke there be some trayson anon they were come to the castell for they were nat farre of the barryers were open and kept by the frenchmen for the bretons within were nat maysters of the castell for their busshemente were within the towre The Frenche men entred and founde the capytaynes in the courte comunynge with the bretons THan Alayne and Peter were sore abasshed seynge so many of their enemyes aboute them And as for them that were within the towre knewe nothynge of the besynesse nor coude se nor here nothyng the towre was so thycke some that were with in sayde Harke syrs me thynke I here moche murmurynge without we may be dysceyued frenche men be subtyle we
Aufryke and bycause I myght truely write the maner and fascion of this enterprice Alwayes I desyred suche knyghtes and squyers as had ben at the same voyage to enforme me of euery thyng And bycause I had been oftentymes in my dayes at Calays I demaunded also of suche there as had ben at the sayde voyage And it was shewed me of a suretie that the sarazyns amonge them selfes sayde howe the Christen men that were there were expert and subtyle men of armes Whervpon an auncyent sarazyn sayd to all his company Sirs all thynges coÌ„sydred it is best that the Christen men at the begynnyng se nat our strength and puissaunce nor also we haue nat men suffycieÌ„t to fyght with them but daylye men wyll coÌ„e to vs. Wherfore I thynke it best to sufâ—re theÌ„ to take laÌ„de they haue no horses to ouer ron the countrey they wyll nat sprede abrode but kepe togyder for feare of vs. The towne is stronge ynoughe and well prouyded we nede nat feare any assautê The ayre is hote and wyll be hotter They are lodged in the sonne and we in the shadowe and they shall dayly wast their vitaylles and shal be withâ—ute hope to recouer any newe and they lye here any long season And we shall haue pleÌ„tie for we be in our owne countrey and they shall ofteÌ„tymes be awaked and scrimysshed withall to their doÌ„mage and to our aduauntage Lette vs nat fight with them for other wyse they can nat disconfyte vs. They haue nat ben vsed with the ayre of this countrey whiche is contrary to their nature I thynke this the best waye TO the saieng of this auÌ„cient knight sarazyn all other agreed ThanÌ„e it was coÌ„maunded on payne of dethe that no man shulde go to the see syde to scrymysshe with the Christen men without they were coÌ„maunded but to kepe them selfe close in their lodgynges suffre the christen men to take lande This determynacion was vp holde none durst breke it And they sent a certayne of their archers in to the towne of Aufryke to ayde to defende it The Sarazyns shewed theme selfes nothyng as though ther had been no men in the countrey The Christen men lodged all that night in the mouthe of the hauyn of Aufryke and the nexte mornynge the wether was fayre and clere and the ayre in good temper and the sonne rose that it was pleasure to beholde ThanÌ„e the Christen men began to styrre and made theÌ„ redy hauynge great desyre to approche the towne of Aufryke and to take lande Than trumpettes and claryons began to sowne in the Gallees and vesselles and made great noise and about nyne of the clocke whan the christen men had taken a lytell refress hynge with drinke than were they reioysed lighted And accordyng as they had apoynted before they sent in fyrst their lyght vesselles called Brigandyns well furnisshed with artyllary They entred in to the hauyn and after them came the armed Galees and the other shyppes of the flete in good order and tournyng towardes the lande by the see syde ther was a strong castell with hyghe towres and specially one towre whiche defended the see syde and the lande also And in this towre was a bricoll or an engyn whiche was nat ydell but styll dyde cast great stones amonge the Christen mens shyppes In lyke wise in euery towre of the towne agaynst the See syde there were engyns to caste stones the sarazyns had well prouyded for their towne for they loked euer longe before whane they shulde be besieged Whan the Christen men entred in to the hauen of Aufryke to take lande it was a plesaunt syght to beholde their order and to here the claryons and trumpettes sounde so hyghe and clere dyuers knightes and valyaunt men of the realme of FrauÌ„ce sprede abrode that day their baners with dyuers other newe made knyghtes The lorde Iohan of Lignye was there firste made knight He was of the countrey of Chauny He was made by the handes of a cosyn of his named sir Henry Dantoygne and there he sprede abrode first his baner The felde golde a bende of goules And in his companye was his cosyn germayne the lorde of Hauret in Chauny Thus the lordes knyghtes and squyers with great desyre auaunced them toke lande and lodged on the lande of their enemyes in the sight of the false sarazyns on a wednisdaye in the euenyng of Mary Magdaleyne in the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore And as they toke laÌ„de they were lodged by their marshalles The sarazyns that were within the towne praysed moche the christen meÌ„nes order and bycause that the great Galees coulde nat aproche nere to the lande the men yssued out in bottes and toke lande and folowed the baner of our lady THe Sarazins that were within the towne and suche as were abrode in the countrey suffered the Christen men pesably to take lande for they sawe well it shulde nat be for their aduauntage to haue fought with them at their landyng The duke of Burbone who was as chefe of the christen armye there was lodged in the myddes of his company ryght honorably his baner displayed poudred full of Floure du Lyces with an ymage of our Lady in the myddes and a scochynne with the armes of Burbone vnder the fete of the ymage ¶ Fyrste on the ryght hande of the duke there was lodged his brother sir Guylliam of Tremoyle with his penon and the lorde of Bordenay with his baner and sir Helyon of Lygnacke with his penon the lorde of Tourse with a penon And than the Henowers with the standerde of the lorde Wyllyam of Heynaulte as than erle of Ostrenaunt eldest sonne to the duke Aubert of Bauyere erle of Heynaulte Of Hollande and of zelande the deuyse in the standerde was a Herse golde standyng on a bell goules There was the lorde of Haureth with his baner the lorde of Ligny with his baner and than sir Philyppe Dartoys erle of Ewe with baner the lorde of Mateselon with baner the lorde of Calam with penon the Seneschall of Ewe with penon the lorde of Lynyers with baner the lorde of Thune with baner the lorde of Ameuall with baner sir Water of Champenon with penon sir Iohâ— of the Castell Morant with baner the marshall of Sanxeres brother with penon the lorde of Coucy with baner beste apoynted nexte the duke of Burbone sir Stephyne of Sanxere with penon Than the FreÌ„che kynges penon with his deuyce and therby was sir Iohan of Barroys with the penon of his armes Than sir Guylliam Morles with baner and the lorde of LoÌ„gueuall with penon sir Iohan of Roye with baner the lorde of Bourse with penon the Vycount Dausney with baner the lorde admyrall with baner called Iohan of Vyen ¶ Nowe here after foloweth they on the dukes lyfte hande ON the lyfte hande of Loyes duke of Burbone were lodged as foloweth First the lorde of Ausemont of Bauyere and sir
Iohan of Beauforde bastarde sonne to the duke of Lancastre with his baner displayed sir Iohan Butler Englysshe with a penon sir Iohan of Crama with a baner the Souldyche of Lestrade with penon sir Iohan Harcourt with baner and the lorde Beraulte erle of Cleremount and the Dolphin of Auuergne with baner and sir Hugh Dolphyn his brother with penon the lorde of Bertencourt with penon the lorde Pyer Buffyer with baner the lorde of saynt Semere with baner the lorde of Lauuart marshall of the hoost with baner the lorde Bergue of Beausse with penon the lorde of Louuy with baner sir Gerarde of Lymoâ—yn his brother with penon the lorde of saynt Germayne with baner And than the penon and staÌ„derde with the deuyce of the duke of Burgoyn sir Philyppe of Barre with baner sir Geffray of Charney with baner sir Loyes of Poicters with penon sir Robert of Calabre with penon the vycount of Ses with baner the lorde Montague with baner the lorde of Vyle Neufe with penon sir Wyllyam of Molyne with penon the lorde of LoÌ„gny with penon sir Angorget Damboyse with penon sir Aleyne of ChaÌ„payne with penon all these baners and penons were sette in the front before the towne of Aufryke and besyde that a great nombre of other knyghtes and squyers ryght valyaunt men and â—fhighe corage were lodged abrode in the felde I cannat name them all also it wolde be to long a writyng There were a fourtene thousande all gentylmen It was a companye to do a great feate and to susteyne a great batyle if the sarazyns had come forthe to haue gyuen them batayle whiche they dyd nat for as on that day they shewed no maner of defence but castyng out of their towres great stones WHan the Christen men were lodged as well as they myght refresshed them selfes with suche as they had brought with them for they myght nat ryn abrode in the countrey to gather bowes of trees to make with all their lodgynges â—or it had ben to their domage if they had aduentured themselfe abrode The lordes had tentes and pauilioÌ„s that they had brought with them fro Geane Thus they lodged in good order the crosbowes of the genouoys were lodged on the wynges and closed in the lordes They occupyed a great space of grouÌ„de for they were a great nombre all their prouisyons were in the galees and all the day the maryners conueyed their stuffe to â—ande by bottes And whan the christen ysles adioynyng as Naplesâ— Cicyll and also the mayne landes as Puylle and Calabre Whan they knewe howe the Christen men had besieged the strong castell of Aufryke they dyd what they coude to vitayle the christen army some to haue aduauÌ„tage therby and some for loue and affection that they had to the genouoys fro the ysle of Caude came to them the good malueysies in great plenty without whiche conforte they coude nat longe haue endured for they were a great nombre and good drinkers and good caters Howe be it their prouisâ—ons came nat alwayes to theÌ„ in lyke maner for somtyme they had plentie and some season they wanted ¶ Nowe I shall somwhat speke of the sarazyns aswell as I haue done of the christen men as it is reason to coÌ„clude all thynges Trewe it was that they of Aufrike and of Barbary knewe longe before howe the genowayes hadde thretned them and they loked for none other thyng but the same yere to be besieged as they were in dede They hadde made prouisyon to resyst agaynst it whan the tidynges were sprede abrode in the countrey howe that the christenmen were come to Aufryke they were in dout for he is nat wise that feareth nat his ennemyes thoughe they be neuer so fewe Howe be it the sarazyns reputed the christen men right valyant good men of warre wherfore they greatly douted them and to the entent to resyst to defende the fronters of their countreys they assembled toguyder of dyuers parties as they of the lande and seignorie of Aufrike and of the realme of Maroche and of the realme of Bougye the best men of warre in all those countreis and suche as leest feared dethe Thus they came and lodged on the sandes agaynst the christen men and they had behynde them an highe wode to th entent that they shulde receyue on that syde no doÌ„mage by meanes of busshmentes or scrimysshes These sarazins lodged them selfes right sagely surely they were of men of warre a .xxx. thousande good archers and ten thousande horsemen and mo Howe be it the Christen men coude neuer knowe surely what nombre they were for they supposed they had a greater nombre lodged in the woodes whiche myght ryght well be For they were in their owne couÌ„tre and might go and come in to their host at all houres without paryll or dommage at their owne lybertie They were often tymes refresshed with newe vitayls brought to them on somers and camelles And the secoÌ„de day that the Englysshe men had been a lande in the mornyng at the breke of the day and that the same nyght the lorde Henry Dautoygne had kepte the watche with two hundred men of armes and a thousande crosbowes genowayes The sarazyns came to awake and to scrimysshe with theym whiche endured the space of tow houres There were many dedes of armes atchyued but the sarazins wolde nat ioyne to fyght hande to hande but they scrimysshed with castyng of dartes and shotynge and wolde nat folysshely aduenture theÌ„selfes but wisely and sagely reculed the christen hoost than apparelled them to go to the scrimysshe and some of the great lordes of Fraunce came thyder to se the deme anour of the sarazyns therby to know a nâ—ther tyme their maner in skrymysshynge Thus the sarazyns drewe to their lodgynge and the crysten men to theirs And durynge the siege the crysten men were neuer in suretie nor rest for outher euenynge or mornynge the sarazyns wolde awake them and skrymysshe Amonge the sarazyns there was a yonge knight called Agadingor Dolyferne he was alwayes well mounted on a redy and a lyght horse it semed whan the horse ranne that he dyd flye in the ayre The knyght semed to be a good man of armes by his dedes he bare always of vsage thre fedred dartes and ryght well he coulde handle them and acordynge to their custome he was clene armed with a long whyte to well aboute his heed His aparell was blacke and his owne coloure browne and a good horseman The crysten men sayde they thought he dyd suche dedes for the loue of some yonge lady of his countrey And trewe it was that he loued entyrely the kynge of Thunes doughter named the lady Azala she was enherytour to the realme of Thunes after the discease of the kyng her father This Agadingor was sonne to the duke of Olyferne I can nat tell if they were maryed togyther after or nat but it was shewed me that this knyght for loue of
alwayes he had auaunsed his sonne of Ostrenaunt towardes the kyng and his couÌ„saile This mater was nat forgotten but incontinent the Frenche kyng wrote sharpe letters to therle of OstrenauÌ„t who was at quesnoy in Heynaulte coÌ„maundyng hym to come to Parys to do his homage before the kynge and the other peeres of Fraunce for the coutie of Ostrenaut or els the kyng wolde take it fro hym and make hym warre Whan the erle had well ouersene these letters and parceyued howe that the Frenche kyng and his counsayle were displeased with hym to make his answere he assembled his counsayle as the lorde of Fountayns the lorde of Gomegynes sir Wyllyam of Hermes the lorde of Trassegnies the bayly of Heynaulte the lorde of Sancelles sir Rase of Montigny the abbot of Crispyne Iohan Sulbart Iaquemart Barrier of Valencennes These wysemen counsayled togider what answere might be made to the kynges letters There were many reasons alleged at last all thynges consydred they thought it for the best to write to the Frenche kynge and to his counsayle to take a daye to answere clerely to all maner of demaundes by the mouthe of certayne credyble ê‘sons and none by writyng And in the meane season they sente certayne notable personages to the erle of Heynaulte and duke Aubert of HolaÌ„de to haue their couÌ„sayles what answere to make Thus they dyde They wrote swetely and courtesly to the kynge and to his counsayle so that with those fyrst letters the kyng and his couÌ„sayle was well content Than therle and his couÌ„sayle sent in to Hollande the lorde of Trassegines and the lorde of Sancelles Iohan Semart and Iaques Barrier They rode to the erle of Heynault and shewed hym the state of the countie or Heynault and the letters that the Frenche kyng hadde sent to his sonne the erle of Ostrenaunt the erle of Heynaulte had marueyle of that mater and said Sirs I thought neuer otherwyse but that it shulde come thus to passe Wyllyam my sonÌ„e had nothyng to do to go in to EnglaÌ„de I haue delyuered hym the rule and gouernaunce of the couÌ„tie of Heynaulte he might haue done vsed hym selfe accordyng to the counsayle of the countrey Sirs I shall tell you what ye shall do Go to my fayre cosyn the duke of Burgoyn for it lyeth well in his power to regarde and to sette an order in all thynges demaunded by the Frenche kynge I canne gyue you no better counsayle With this answere they departed out of Hollande and came in to Heynault and there shewed what answere they had wherwith the erle his counsayle were content There was assigned to go in to FrauÌ„ce to the duke of Burgoyne the lorde of Trassegnies sir WyllmÌ„ of Hermyes sir Rase of Montigny Iohan Semart and Iaques Barrier To shewe and declare all the processe and sute that they made at the Frenche courte shulde be ouer longe to resyte But finally all thynges concluded for all that the duke of Burgoyne coude do there was non other remedy but that the erle of Ostrenaunt must come personally to Parys and to knowe his homage due to the Frenche kyng for the countie of Ostrenaunt or els surely to haue warre The lorde of coucy sir Olyuer of Clysson toke great payne for the erles sake but sir IohnÌ„ Mercier and the lorde de la Ryuer labored on the contrarye syde as moche as they might ¶ Nowe let vs leaue to speke any more of this mater and retourne to speke of the lordes knyghtes of Fraunce who were at the siege before the strong towne of Aufryke agaynst the sarazyns ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe and by what incydent the siege was reysed before the towne of Aufryke and by what occasyon and howe euery man retourned to their owne countreis Cap. C.lxxiiii YE haue herde here before howe the christen men had besieged the stronge towne of Aufryke by lande by see Settyng all their ententes howe to conquere it for they thought if they might wyn it the brute therof shulde sounde to their great honours and prayse and howe they myght there kepe them selfe toguyder and to resyst agaynst their ennemyes sayenge howe they shulde alwayes haue conforte of the Christen men and specially of the Frenche kyng who was yong and desyrous of dedes of armes consydring howe he had truce with the Englysshmen for two yeres to coÌ„e the sarazyns feared the same wherfore dayly they made prouysyon for the towne and refresshed alwaies their towne with newe fressh men hardy aduenturers accordynge to their vsage Thus the season passed on and after the christen men hadde suffred the great losse of their companyons with lytell wynnynge or aduauntage on their partye all their hole hoost were in a maner dyscomforted for they coulde nat se howe to be reuenged Than many of theym beganne to murmure sayenge we lye here all in vayne as for the skrymysshes that we make therby shall we neuer wyn the Towne of Auffryke for if we slee any of them for eche of them they wyll gette agayne ten other They be in their owne countrey they haue vytayles and prouysyons at their pleasure and that we haue is with great dauÌ„ger and parell What shall we thynke to do if we lye here all this wynter longe and colde nyghtes we shal be morfounded and frosen to dethe Thus we shall be in a herde case by dyuers wayes first in wynter no man dare take the see for the cruell and tyrryble wyndes and tempestes of the see for the sees and tempestes are more fierser in wynter than in somer and if we shulde lacke vytayles but eight dayes togyther and that the see wolde suffre none to come to vs we were all deed and lost without remedy Secondly though it were so that we had vytayles and all thynges necessary with out daunger yet howe coulde our watche endure the payne and traueyle contynually to watche euery night the parell and aduenture is ouer herde for vs to beare for our enemyes who be in their owne countrey and knowe the countrey may come by nyght and assayle vs to their great aduauntage and do vs great domage as they haue done all redy Thyrdly if for faute of good ayre of swete fresshe meates wherwith we haue been norysshed that mortalyte hap to fall in our hoost we shall dye euery man fro other for we haue no remedy to resyst agaynst it Also furthermore if the genouoys turne agaynst vs which are rude people and traytours they may be nyght tyme entre in to their shyppes so leue vs here to pay for the scotte All these doutes are to be consydred by our capytaynes who lye at their ease and regarde nat the case we be in â–ª and also some of the genouoys spared nat to speke and sayd in raylynge to the crysten men What men of armes be ye frenche men whan we departed fro Genne we thought that within fyftene dayes that ye had layen at siege before the towne of Aufryke ye shulde haue conquered
a voyage for you thanne to go to Rome with a great puyssaunce of men of armes and pull downe and dystroy that antepaye whome the romayns by force hath created and set in the seate cathedrall of saynt Peter if ye wyll ye maye well accomplysshe this voyage and we suppose ye can nat passe your tyme more honorably And syr ye maye well know that if this antepape and his cardynals knowe ones that ye be mynded to come on them with an army they wyll yelde them self aske mercy The kynge remēbred hym selfe a lytell and sayd howe he wolde do as they had deuysed for surely he said he was moche bounde to pope Clement for the yere past he had ben at Auygnon where as the pope and his cardynals made hym ryght honourable chere and had gyuen more than was demaunded bothe to hym selfe to his brother and to his vncles wherfore the kynge sayd it hadde deserued to haue some recompence and also at his departure fro Auignon he had promysed the pope to helpe to assyst hym in his quarell At that season there was at Parys with the kyng the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne than it was agreed and concluded that the nexte Marche after the kynge shuld departe fro Parys and take the way towardes Sauoy and Lombardy and the erle of Sauoy to sende his cosyn Germayne with hym and the kynge to haue vnder his charge the duke of Tourayne his brother with four thousande speares and the duke of Burgoyne with two thousande speares and the duke of Berrey two thousāde the constable of Fraunce two thousande speares with the bretons raintoners and lowe marches the duke of Burbon a thousāde speares the lorde of saynt Poll and the lorde of Coucy a thousande speares all these men of armes to be payed in hande for thre monethes and so fro terme to terme And whan those tydynges were knowen in Auignon pope Clement and his cardynals were greatly reioysed and thought in a maner their enterprise atcheued Also the kinge was coūsayled nat to leaue the duke of Bretayne behynde hym but to sende and to desyre hym to prepare hym selfe to go with him in this voyage The kyng wrote notably to hym and sent his letters by a man of honour an offycer of armes signyfyenge the duke in his letters the state of this voyage Whan the duke had red these letters he turned hym selfe smyled and called to hym the lorde of Mountboucher and sayd Syr harke and regarde well what the frenche kyng hath written to me he hath enterprised to departe this next Marche with a great puissaunce to go to Rome and to distroy suche as take parte with pope Bonyface As god helpe me his iourney shall tourne to nothynge for in shorte space he shall haue more flax to his dystaffe than he can well spynne I thynke he wyll leaue soone his folyssh thought And also he desyreth me to go with hym with two thousande speares howebeit I wyll honour him as I ought to do and I wyll write to him ioyously bycause he shall be contente and shewe hym howe if he go in this voyage he shall nat go without me seyng it pleaseth him to haue my company howe be it sir of Moūtboucher I say vnto you I wyll nat traueyle a man of myne for all that the kyng hath purposed and sayd nothynge shall there be done in that behalfe The duke of Bretayne wrote goodly letters and swete to the frenche kynge and the officer of armes returned with theym to Parys and delyuered them to the kynge who redde them and was well contented with the aunswere ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the Englysshe knyghtes that were sente to Parys to the frenche kynge fro the kynge of Englande and his vncles to treate for a peace Cap. C .lxxv. THe wyll and purpose of the frenche kynge none wolde breke for it pleased greatly all the knyghtes squyers of Fraunce bycause they wyst nat where better to enploy their season and euery man prepared towardes that voyage and namely the clergy of all the prouynces of the realme ordayned and graunted a tayle to sende at their costes and charges men of warre with the kynge Howe be it this voyage tourned to nothynge as the duke of Bretayne had sayd before and I shall shewe you by what incidence About the feest of Candelmas came other tydynges to the Frenche kyng and to his counsayle whiche they loked nothynge for Certayne of the kynge of Englandes coūsayle and suche as were of his priuy chambre were sent nobly to Parys to the frenche kyng and they that were chefe of this legacyon was syr Thomas Percy syr Loys Clyfforde and sir Robert Briquet with dyuers other knyghtes in their company but I herde as than no mo named Whan these thre knyghtes were come to Parys to hym than the french kyng was desyrous to knowe what it myght meane that the kynge of Englande dyd sende so hastely of his counsayle to hym These knyghtes of Englande syr Thomas Percy and other alyghted in Parys in the streate called the Crosse at the signe of the castell The frenche kynge as than lay in the castell of Lowere his brother the duke of Tourayne with hym and his other thre vncles in other lodgynges in the cytie and the cōstable syr Olyuer Clysson It was nere hāde noone whan the englysshe men came to Parys and they kept their lodgynge all that day nyght after and the next day aboute nyue of the clocke they lept on their horses ryght honorably and rode to the castell of Loure to the kyng where he with his brother and vncles the Erle of saint Poll the lorde of Coucy the constable of Fraūce sir Iohan of Vien sir Guy de la tremoyle with dyuers other barons of Fraunce were redy to receyue the englysshe ambassadours who alyghted at the gate and entred in and there receyued them the lord de la Ryuer syr Iohan Mercyer sir Lyon of Lignach sir Peter Villers sir Willyam of Tremoyle and syr Marcell there they receyued them honourably and brought theym in to the chambre where the kynge taryed for them Than they dyd of their bonettes and kneled downe syr Thomas Percy hadde the letters of credence that the kynge of Englande had sente to the frenche kynge he delyuered them to the kyng who tooke them and caused the knyghtes to stande vp than they stepe some what backe The kynge opyned the letters and red them and sawe well that they had credence than he called to hym his brother and his vncles and shewed them the letters than his vncles sayd Syr call forthe the knyghtes and here what they wyll say Than they aproched and were cōmaunded to declare their credence than si◠Thomas Percy spake and sayd Dere sir the entencyon of our souerayne lorde the kinge of Englande is that he wolde gladly that suche of his specyall counsayle as his vncles dukes of Lancastre yorke and Glocestre and other prelates of
attaygne to the herytage of Bretaygne of the whiche he is without and shall be for I haue chyldren sonne and doughter that shall succede after me Secondely he beareth the ermyns whiche are the armes of Bretaygne but of trouthe to do me dyspleasure withall sir Olyuer clysson mayntayneth him in that opinyon and as longe as he is in that case I wyllagre to no treatie with the kynge As for warre I wyll make none to the kyng bycause he is my naturall lorde but if by yuell informacyon the kyng make me warre I shall defende me he shall fynde me in myne owne countre all this I wyll that the kyng knowe THus the treatie bytwene the kynge and the duke of Bretayne contynued rygorously for the duke was lorde and mayster of his counsayle but the frenche kynge was nat so of his but was ruled by syr Olyuer Clisson and the Begue of Vyllains syr Iohan Mercyer and by syr Willyam of Montague the duke of Burgoyne who had clere vnderstandyng of euery thynge suffred the duke of Bretaygnes reasons and defences to be sayde in place and couertly he susteyned them and had the duke of Berrey of his opynyon for he hated inwardly them of the kynges priuy chambre bycause they had dystroyed his treasourer Betysache shamfully by iustyce at Besyers as ye haue herde here before but he suffred it for he sawe no tyme to be reuenged In this dyfference the duke of Bretaygne taryed at Towrs thre monethes that their treatie coulde come to no good conclusyon and were at the poynte to haue departed and the kynge was in wyll that as soone as he was retourned in to Fraunce to make a great assemble to make warre the next somer after in to Bretayne agaynst the duke suche of his acorde to leaue all other busines but the dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne the lorde Coucy therle of saint Poll sir Guy of Tremoile the chanceller of FrauÌ„ce and dyuers other prelates high barons of FrauÌ„ce suche as were there ymagined to withstaÌ„de this rigorous rebellioÌ„s spake togider and said to the kyng sir we that be the iouerayn lordes piers of your realme and be nere of your lygnage we shulde haue a treatie this next lent for a peace to be had at AmieÌ„ce with thenglysshmen Wherfore sir ye had nede to make haste leaue this yuell wyll bytwene you and the duke of Bretayne for if the duke deê‘te hens without any agrement made bytwene you thenglysshmen wyll be the harder in all their treaties for they wyll thynke theÌ„ to be ayded and coÌ„forted by the duke of Bretayne and by his countrey for the duke hath thenglisshmen at his hande whan he wyll if we haue warre atones bothe with the Englysshmen bretons as we haue had or this they wyll put vs to great payne These lordê dyde so moche with the kyng his couÌ„sayle that at last they founde a meane bytwene the kyng the duke I shewe you what it was surely without the same meanes had ben founde they shulde haue come to no conclusion of good acorde So it was the frenche kyng had a doughter the duke of Bretaine had a sonne there was a maryage made bytwene this sonÌ„e this dought In lykewise IohnÌ„ of Bretayne had a sonÌ„e by the dought of sir Olyuer of Clysson the duke of Bretayne had a doughter and it was thought to make sure peace that the mariage bytwene theÌ„ two were necessary These maryages were agreed concluded howbeit for all these alyaunces yet IohnÌ„ of Bretayne shulde leaue the armes of Bretayne beare them of Chastellon bycause he was extracte by his mother syde of a duke of Bretayne for his mother was doughter to a duke of Bretaygne therfore he was alowed to bere in his armes a bordet of ermyne with thre labels goules on the heed of a scochyn of ermyns Thus he bare these deuises euery thynge was apesed So the duke of Bretayne gate the loue of the kyng of his vncles and dyned with the kyng and so IohnÌ„ of Bretayne was erle of Ponâ—hieuts And thus shewed great loue togyder by meanes of these mariages howe be it the duke in no wyse wolde se nor speke with sir Olyuer of Clysson he had suche displeasure to hym howebeit sir Olyuer made lyght therof for he hated the duke also with all his puissauÌ„ce These mariages thus acorded the lordes sworne and bounde to fulfyll theÌ„ whan the chyldren shulde be soÌ„what of more age Than these lordes determyned to departe fro Tourse to drawe to Parys for the tyme aproched that they shulde be at Amyence personally The frenche kyng his brother his vncles and his couÌ„sayle to mere there with the kyng of Englande his vncles and counsayle who shulde be there So the duke of Bretayne toke leaue of the Frenche kyng and of his brother vncles and of suche other as he loued best and so deê‘ted fro Tourse went in to his owne couÌ„tre and in lykewise so dyd all other lordê The duke of Berrey the duke of Burgoyne the lorde Coucy taryed there styll I shall shewe you why ¶ Howe therle of Bloys and Mary of Namure his wyfe solde the countie of Bloys all their landes to the duke of Thourayne the frenche kynges brother Cap. C.lxxxii YE haue herde here before in this hystorie howe Loys of Bloys sonÌ„e to therle Guy of bloys died whan he was yonge in the towne of Beauniont in Heynalt wher by the lady Mary doughter to the duke of Berrey was a widowe therby she lost her welthe of this worlde for the chylde was a gret enheritour if he had lyued he had ben a great lorde I speke of it bycause it shulde be knowen in tyme to come thenheritauÌ„ce to whome it went out of the right lyne and by what maner therle of Blois Mary of Namure his wyfe were nat in the case to engeÌ„dre children togider for by great driÌ„kyng moche eatynge of wete delycate meates they were ouergrowen with fatnesse so that the erle coude nat ryde but was alwayes caried in a lytter fro one place to another or whan he wolde go a huntyng or haukyng whiche sporte was gretly vsed with the lordê of FrauÌ„ce The same season whyle the Frenche kynge was at Tourse the duke of Thourayne had an ymaginacion whiche he brought to effect as I shall shewe you The duke of Thourayne knewe well he had moche rychesse lying by hym paraduenture a myllion of Floreyns whiche had by reason of his mariage with the lady Valentyne of Myllayne doughter to the erle of Vertus He wyst nat howe to enploy these flornes Than he remeÌ„bred howe the erle Guy of Bloys had great herytagê and that after his dethe they were likely to go to dyuers ê‘sones The erldome of Bloys shulde retourne to Iohan of Bretayne for he was the erles cosyn germayne and the landes of Heynault shulde go to the
finde mater ynough to him by lawe and parlyament That is trewe quod the duke of Burgoyne And the first tyme that he cometh to speke with me and that I thynke wyll be or to morowe at night I shall so receyue hym that he shall well knowe that I loue hym nat and if he come to you good brother of Berrey do lykewise That shall be done quod he and so departed at that tyme. SO it fortuned that the lorde of Clysson who knewe nothynge but that he had been in good grace with the sayde dukes And certayne knightes squiers suche as hadde been in the sayd voyage with the kyng came to the constable were sente by the chaunceller and treasourers to hym to pursue for money for their wages Whervpon in a mornyng he came to the house of Arthois in Parys to shewe the state of the busynesse to the duke of Burgoyne and to none other bycause he hadde the hole gouernaunce of the realme of Fraunce WhanÌ„e he came thyder he entred in to the court for the porter had lette hym in Than he a lyghted and mounted the steares in to the hall alone lye acompanyed with one squyer and in the hall he fouÌ„de .ii. squyers of the dukes than he demaunded if he might speke with the duke or nat Sir ê™ they we can nat tell you tary here and we shall go knowe his pleasure The squiers entred in to the dukes chambre and fouÌ„de hym at good leysar talkyng with an heraude who was come fro a great feest that had ben holden in Almaigne Than the squiers sayd Sir the Constable is in your hall and saythe he is come to speke with you if it be your pleasure A goddesname quod the duke lette hym come in we be at good leysar to here what he wyll say One of the squiers went in to the hall and said to the constable sir coÌ„e on my lorde wyll haue you to coÌ„e in The coÌ„stable entred and whan the duke sawe hym he chaunged colour and repented in that he had caused hym to come in to his chambre and yet he had gret desyre to speke with hym The Constable dyde of his hatte and made his reuerence to the duke sayde Sir I am come to you to knowe of the state and gouernaunce of the realme and howe euery thynge shal be ordred for by reason of myne offyce I am dayly called vpon and as nowe you and my lorde of Berrey haue the rule therfore it may please you to shewe me what I shall do The duke lightly aunswered and sayde Clysson Clysson ye haue nothyng to do to busye you with the gouernynge of the realme ye haue medled therwith to long and in an yuell tyme. Howe the deuyll haue ye gadered suche rychesse as ye made your testament of but late The kynge nor my brother of Berrey nor I haue nat so moche Go youre waye departe out of my presence and lette me no more se you for and it were nat for my shame I shulde putte out your better eye And therwith the duke deê‘ted and lefte the lorde Clysson alone who issued out of the chambre and hanged downe his heed and so passed through the hall and in the courte toke his horse with his company and retourned priuely in to his lodgyng without spekyng of any worde ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe sir Olyuer of Clysson Constable of FrauÌ„ce departed out of Parys after the answere that the duke of Burgoyne had made hym and wente to Mount le Heury and fro thens in to Bretayne Cap. C.xc. WHan the lorde of Clysson was retourned to his lodgynge he was in many ymaginacyons to remembre what was best for hym to do for he parceyued wel the maters went but yuell for hym nor he wyste nat to whome to make his complaynt nor to declare his busynesse for the duke of Orlyaunce was at Crayell and thoughe he hadde been at Parys yet it laye nat in his power to defende hym and he feared lest the duke of Burgoyne wolde haue caused hym to be arested and to spoyle his house Wherfore he durst nat abyde that aduenture but shortely made hym redy and shewed to certayne of his seruauntes what he wolde do And agaynst nyght he wente out of his lodgyng priuely on the backesyde and but thre persones with hym and issued out of Parys at the gate of saynt Anchony and passed the ryuer of Seyne at the bridge of Charenton And roode so longe that he came to a Castell of his owne a seuyn leages fro Parys called Mount le Heury and there taryed tyll he heroe other tidynges The same daye that the duke of Burgoyne had spoken with the Constable The duke of Berrey and he mette toguyder for they assembled at the palays to commune toguyder of certayne matters touchynge the Realme Than the duke of Burgoyne shewed his brother what he had sayde to sir Olyuer of Clysson The duke of Berrey answered and sayd ye haue done well for we must haue a begynnynge to entre vpon theym For surely Clysson le Ryuer Mercier and MoÌ„tague haue robbed the realme of Fraunce but the tyme is come that they shall leaue all yea and lese their lyues and I maye be beleued THe same proper daye that the Constable departed Montague in likewise departed secretely by the gate saynt Anthony and toke the waye to Trois in Champayne and in to Burgoyne sayd he wolde nat rest tyll he came to Auygnon for thyder he had sent before the chiefe of his rychesse and lefte a certayne with his wyfe to kepe her estate curtesly For he sawe well sithe the kyng had lost his wytte that all maters shulde go but yuell for hym for he sawe howe the dukes of Burgoyne and Berrey wolde nat speke to hym Sir Iohan Mercier in lykewise wolde fayne haue ben gone and he myght But there was suche watche layde on hym that he coude nat go out of his lodgynge without knowledge And suche of his goodes as he hadde saued before stode hym in right good stede afterwarde For as moche as coude be founde of his was departed bytwene the dukes of Burgoyn and Berrey and he was coÌ„mytted by them to prisone in to the castell of Loure And in lykewyse so was coÌ„maunded the Begue of Vyllayns erle of Rebydewe in Spayne There were men sente to the house of Montague but he was nat founde nor no man knewe where that he was become In lykecase to the Constables house to haue had hym to prison but he coude nat be founde for there was no man there but the kepar who knewe nothynge where he was become And within two dayes after it was knowen that he was at his castell of Mount le Heury Whan the dukes that loued hym nat knewe that they ordayned the Barroys of Barres sir IohnÌ„ of Castell Morant the lorde of Coucy and sir Wyllyam of Tremoyle with thre hundred speares to go thyder and coÌ„maunded them to besiege the Towne and castell and
Huntyngton was as than on his waye to Ierusalem and to saynt Katheryns mount and purposed to retourne by the realme of Hungry for as he passed through FrauÌ„ce where he hadde great chere of the kyng and of his brother and vncles he herde howe the kyng of Hungry and the great Turke shulde haue batayle togyder therfore he thought sure lye to be at that iourney On the othersyde the duke of Lancastre came to Plomouthe where his shippes laye redy And whan his men were come and his vesselles all charged and had wynde at wyll they toke shippyng and disancred and sayled towardes Burdeaux on the ryuer of Gyron NOwe lette vs speke of the kyng of Englande who had in his copany four thousande men of armes and thyrtie thousande archers They shipped at thre places At Brutowe at Holyheed and at Herforde they passed ouer daylye And in Irelande all redy there was a valyaunt knyght of Englande called erle of Ormonde He helde landes in Irelande and so dyde his predecessours but it was as than in debate The erle Marshall of Englande hadde the vowarde with fyftene hundred speares and two thousande archers The kynge of Englande and his two vncles toke shyppinge at Herforde in Wales Thus the army passed ouer without doÌ„mage than they were lodged in Irelande by the apoyntement of the duke of Gloucestre coÌ„stable of Englande and by the marshals all abrode in the countrey beyond the cytie of Duuelyn a .xxx. myle for the countrey was as thanÌ„e inhabytable Howe be it they laye wysely and surely for feare of the yrisshe men as nede was or els they myght haue taken great doÌ„mage And the kynge and his vncles were lodged in the cytie of Duuelyn and as it was shewed me all the whyle they were there they were largely prouyded of vitayls For the Englysshe men are suche men of warre as can well forage and take aduauÌ„tage and make good prouisyon for theÌ„ selfe and their horses And what fell of this voyage I shall shewe you here after as I was enformed ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe sir IohnÌ„ Froissart arryued in Englande and of the gyfte of a boke that he gaue to to the kyng Cap. CC. TRewe it was that I sir Iohan Froissart as at that tyme treasourer and chanon of Chymay in the erldome of Heynaulte in the diocese of Liege had great affectyon to go and se the realme of Englande whan I had ben in Abbeuyle and sawe that trewce was taken bytwene the realmes of Englande and Fraunce and other countreis to them conioyned and there adherentes to endure four yeres by See and by lande Many reasons moued me to make that voyage One was bycause in my youthe I hadde been brought vp in the court of the noble kynge Edwarde the thyrde and of quene Philyppe his wyfe and amonge their chyldren and other barones of Englande that as than were a lyue In whome I founde all noblenesse honour largesse and courtesy Here fore I desyred to se the countre thynkynge therby I shulde lyue moche the lengar for I hadde nat been there .xxviii. yere before I thought though I sawe natte those lordes that I lefte a lyue there yet at the leest I shulde se their heyres the whiche shulde do me moche good to se and also to iustifye the hystories and maters that I hadde written of them And or I toke my iourney I spake with duke Aubert of Bauyere and with the Erle of Heynaulte Hollande zelande and lorde of Freese and with my lorde Wyllyam erle of Ostrenaunt and with my right honourable lady Iahane duchesse of Brabant and of Lusenbourge and with the lorde Eugerant lorde Coucy and with the gentyll knyght the lorde of Gomegynes who in his youthe and myne had been toguyder in Englande in the kynges courte In lykewise so had I sene there the lorde of Coucy and dyuers other nobles of Fraunce holden great housholdes in London whan they laye there in hostage for the redempcion of kynge Iohan as than Frenche kynge As it hath been shewed here before in this hystorie THese sayd lordes and the Duchesse of Brabant counsayled me to take this iourney and gaue me letters of recommendacyon to the kynge of Englande and to his vncles sauynge the lorde Coucy He wolde nat write to the kynge bycause he was a Frenche man therfore he durste nat but to his doughter who as than was called duchesse of Irelande And I had engrosed in a fayre boke well enlumyned all the matters of Amours and moralytees that in four and twentie yeres before I hadde made and compyled whiche greatly quickened my desyre to go in to Englande to se kyng Rycharde who was sonne to the noble prince of Wales and of Acquitayne for I hadde nat sene this kynge Rycharde sythe he was Christened in the Cathedrall churche of Burdeaux at whiche tyme I was there and thought to haue goone with the prince the iourney in to Galycia in Spaygne And whanÌ„e we were in the cytie of Aste the prince sente me backe in to Englande to the Quene his mother For these causes and other I hadde great desyre to go in to Englande to se the kynge and his vncles Also I hadde this said fayre boke well couered with veluet garnysshed with clapses of Syluer and gylte therof to make a present to the kynge at my fyrst cominynge to his presence I hadde suche desyre to goo this voyage that the payne and traueyle greued me nothyng Thus prouyded of horses and other necessaries I passed the See at Calais and came to Douer the .xii. daye of the moneth of Iuly WhanÌ„e I came there I founde no man of my knowledge it was so longe sythe I had been in Englande and the houses were all newly chauÌ„ged and yonge children were become men and the women knewe me natte nor I theym So I abode halfe a daye and all a nyght at Douer It was on a Tuesdaye And the nexte daye by nyne of the clocke I came to Canterbury to saynt Thomas shrine and to the tombe of the noble prince of Wales who is there entered ryght richely There I herde masse made myne offrynge to the holy saynt and thanne dyned at my lodgynge And there I was enformed howe kyng Richarde shulde be there the nexte daye on pylgrimage whiche was after his retourne out of Irelande where he had ben the space of nyne moneches or there about The kyng hadde a deuocyon to visyte saynt Thomas shrine and also bycause the prince his father was there buryed Than I thought to abyde the kynge there and so I dyde And the next daye the kynge came thyder with a noble company of lordes ladyes and damoselles And whan I was among them they semed to me all newe folkes I knewe no ê‘sone The tyme was sore chauÌ„ged in .xxviii. yere And with the kynge as than was none of his vncles the duke of LaÌ„castre was in Acquitayne and the dukes of yorke and Glocestre were in other busynesses so that I was at
swete and amyable letters to the freÌ„che king by a notable ambassade a bysshop and .ii. knightes of Hungry In the same letters was coÌ„teyned a great parte of the state and doyng of the great turke and how that he had sent worde to the kynge of Hungry that he wolde come and fight with hym in the myddes of his realme and wolde go fro thens to the cytie of Rome and wolde make his horse to eare otes vpon the high auter of saynt Peter and there to holde his see imperyall and wolde bringe the emperour of Constantyne the noble in his coÌ„pany and all the great barons of the realme of Grece and eche of theÌ„ to kepe styll their owne lawe for he desyred nothynge but the tytell and signorie Thus the kyng of HuÌ„gry in his letters prayed the Frenche kyng to entende to ayde and socour him and that this businesse in farre couÌ„treis might he publisshed abrode to th entent that all knightes and squyers myght prouyde to come in to Hungry to resyst agaynst Lamorabaquy the great turke to th entent that Christendome shulde nat be violated by him and that his pride and bost myght be abated In these letters were conteygned many wordes of great loue as kynges cosyns write eche to other in case of necessyte And they were sente by suffycient personages who dyde so moche that the Frenche kynge enclyned his hert therto and was the gladder to sette forwarde the treatie of the mariage of his doughter to the kynge of Englande Than anone these newes of Hungry were publysshed abrode and written in to many countreis to moue the hertes of gentylmen knightes and squiers suche as wolde auaunce them to get honour The same season that these newes were brought to the kyng there was at Parys the duke of Burgoyne and the duchesse and Iohan of Burgoyne their sonne heyre erle of Neuers who as than was no knyght and the lorde Guye of Tremoyle the lorde Wyllyam his brother and many lordes and other of the realme of Fraunce Than the duke of Burgoyne enclyned sore to this viage and specially that his sonÌ„e shulde enterprice the sayd voyage so he myght be chefe heed leader of the army that shulde go in that viage This Iohan of Burgoyne was but a yonge man of the age of .xxii. yeres Wyse curtesse tretable humble and welbeloued of knyghtes and squyers of Burgone and of other nacyons suche as knewe hym He had to wyfe the doughter of duke Aubert of Bauier erle of Heynalte Hollande and zelaÌ„de a good lady wyse and deuout and had two chyldren full lykely to come to great maryages One shewed this Iohan of Burgoyne howe the Frenche kyng wolde sende hym in this voyage in to Hungry to se what he wolde saye Than he sayd if it pleace the kynge and the duke my father to sende me as chiefe of this armye it shall please me ryght well for I haue great desyre to auaunce my selfe well sir quod they ye were best to speke with the duke youre father that he maye speke to the kynge for without his good wyll ye can do nothynge IT was nat long after but that this Iohan of Burgoyne spake to his father prayeng hym humbly to consent that he myght go in this voyage in to Hungry and at the same tyme there was by hym sir Guye and sir Wyllyam of Tremoyle and other they said to the duke Sir this request that your sonne maketh is but resonable for it is tyme he take the order of knighthode and more nobly he can nat take it than in goyng the iourney agaynst the enemyes of holy Churche And it the kynge wyll sende any personage in that voyage he can nat sende a more honorable man thanÌ„e his owne cosyn germayne your sonne and ye shall se many knyghtes go with hym as well for their owne auauÌ„cementes as for your loue Than the duke said well so be it I shall nat lette the good wyll of my sonne I shall speke to the kyng therin and shall se what answere he wyll make And anone after the duke spake to the kynge therin and the kynge incontynent enclyned therto and sayd howe it shulde be well done that he went and we wyll that he shall go and we wyll make hym as chefe of that iourney Than the tidyngê was shewed throughe all Parys and without that Iohan of Burgoyne with a great company of knyghtes shulde go in to Hungry to se the puyssaunce of the great Turke and that iourney atchyued thanne the Christen men to go to ConstaÌ„tyne the noble and to passe ouer the arme or saynt George and so to entre in to Surrey and to delyuer Hierusalem out of the panyms handes Than awaked suche knyghtes and squyers as desyred aduauncement Whan the duke of Burgoyne sawe that his sonne shulde go in this voyage and that he shulde be chiefe of the army he honored than the more the ambassadours of Hungry who whan they sawe the kynges good wyll the dukes the Frenchmens they were gladde and toke their leaue of the kynge and of the other lordes of Fraunce and so retourned to their countrey and made relacyon to the kyng of Hungry howe they had spedde wherwith the kynge was greatly reioysed and made great prouisyon agaynst the coÌ„mynge of the Frenche men and sent these ambassadours to his brother the kyng of Almaigne to open his passages and also to his cosyn the duke of Austriche for throughe the straytes of Austryche he muste nedes passe And by all the wayes he caused great prouisyon of vitayle to be ordayned And also he wrote letters to the great mayster of Pruce and to the Rhodes Certifyeng them of the coÌ„myng of Iohan of Burgoyne with a thousande knyghtes and squiers of valyant men to the entent to entre in to Turkey and to resyst the great bost of kyng Basant called the great turke IN this season the lorde Coucy was come to Parys and was but newlye retourned fro a voyage where he hadde ben a hole yere whiche was on the fronters of GeÌ„nes And there were certayne great men genowayes that had enformed the duke of Orlyaunce that the hoole Duchy of Geane desyred to haue to their chiefe lorde some noble persone discended of the lynage of the flour delyce And for as moche as the duke of Orlyaunce had wedded the doughter of the lorde of Myllaygne and that the lande and duchy of Geane shulde be ryght mete for hym at the duke of Orlyaunce instaunce the lorde of Coucy with thre huÌ„dred speares and fyue huÌ„dred cros bowes passed ouer in to Sauoye and to Pyemont by the accorde and consent of the erle of Sauoye and came in to Aste in Pyemont by the consent of the lorde of Myllayne and came to a cytie called Alexandria and so came to the fronters marchesse of the genowayes and there fell in treatie with them to know more playnly their enteÌ„cyons for ê‘force he coulde do nothyng without he
mountante to the soÌ„me of thyrty thousande pounde besyde the towne of ValenceÌ„nes who in lyke wyse dyd their deuoyre and also in the towne of Monts These thynges thus concluded the valyaunt princes the good duke Auberte and Giullyam his sonne erle of Ostrenant seynge the good wylles of his men was ryght ioyfull whiche was no meruayle for he sawe well that he was well beloued with his subgiettes and shulde be well fournysshed with money Than he had couÌ„sayle to sende to the frenche kyng and to shewe him the enterprise of his voyage and to desyre ayde of hym and thyder was sent two valyaunt and wyse men that is to saye the lorde Lygne and the lorde of Ieumont who were two ryght valyaunt knyghtes and well beloued with the frenche men and specyally the lorde Lygne the kyng had made hym one of his chamberlayns and had hym in good fauoure he spake with the kynge and shewed hym the dukes entent and request to the whiche the kynge and his counsayle fauourably agreed specyally the duke of Burgoyner bycause his doughter was maryed to therle of OstrenaÌ„t wherby he thought that in tyme to come after it shulde be to their profyte and to their heyres howe be it many great lordes and other spake of this iourney in dyuers maners Some sayd to what purpose dothe these heyno wayes desyre the kyng of ayde they haue ben in Englande sought for ayde there Hath nat the erle of Haynalt of late taken on hym the blewe garter to tye his legge withall which is the ordre in Englande it semyth therby he hath no great affectyon to Fraunce Than other that were ryght wyse answered and sayd Syr ye do wronge to say thus though the erle of Ostrenant haue taken the ordre of the garter yet for all that he is nat alyed with the englysshe men but he is fermly alyed with Fraunce Hath nat he in maryage the lady Katheryne doughter to the duke of Burgoyne whiche is a farre greater alyauÌ„ce than is a garter therfore neuer say but that he wyll loue and do pleasure to Fraunce by reason of his maryage rather than to Englande for yâ— garter wherfore the kinge shall do right honourably to ayde hym Thus the frenche men deuysed amonge them selfe and spake in dyuers maners both of that iourney and also of the iourney in to Hungery and in to Turkey agaynst Lamorabaquy and the turkes ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the army that the french kyng sente in to Frese in the ayde of his cosyns and the lorde Valeran Erle of saynt Powle and the lorde Charles de la Brete were capytaynes Cap. CC.xv THe frenche kynge assembled an armye of fyue huÌ„dred speares as well of pycardes as of frenchmen and made capytayns ouer theÌ„ the lorde Valeran erle of saynt Powle the lorde Charles de la Bret who were valyauÌ„t knyghtes and well expert in armes and they were apoynted to leade this company to the towne of Encuse in base Frese wheâ— as the assemble shulde mete and there to take the see to entre in to high Frese as they dyd Whan these two knightes the lorde Lygne and Iumont sawe the kynges good wyll and that these men of warre were dyspatched their wages payed they came to the kynge and thanked him and toke their leaue and retourned in to Heynalt to their lorde the duke Aubert and to the lorde Gillyam his sonne to whome they were right welcome for they had well sped There they shewed the good answere and good chere that they had with gyftes of great presentes whan duke Auberte knewe that the Frenche kynge had sente hym fyue hundred speares than he assembled all his noble men knyghtes squyers and other of Haynalt as the lorde of Vertayne seneschall of Haynalte who was a valyaunt man and greatly renomed in armes the lordes of Lygne and Comygnes who was made marshall and the lordes of Haureth of Nychelet of Lalyne of Hordayne of Chyne of Cantan of Quesnoy of Fleron and IohnÌ„ his brother the lordes of Bouset and of Ieumont who were fresshe knightes on their enemyes also there was Robertle Rour and the lordes of MoÌ„thâ—aulr of FouÌ„tayns of Seuls and of Sars William of Hermes Pynchart his brother the lordes of Lens of verlamont of Ausealr of Trascigmes Octes Seausâ—es Gyrarde his brother the lorde Dyctre and Iohan his brother Bridaulx of Montaguy Damaulx de la powle and Guy his brother the lorde of Mastynge syr Floridas of Villyers who was a valyaunt man and had doone many dedes of armes amonge the turkes and sarazins and sir Eustace of Vertayn Fierebras of Vertayne who was newly come out of Englande syr Rase of Montiquy the lorde of Rorsyn sir Iohan Dandrâ—gntes and Persant his brother dyuers other knightes and squiers All these he assembled at Monts and desyred them to go with hym and euery man to bringe with hym company acordynge to their degrees and that they wolde auaunce them to the towne of Encuse in base frese and theraboute and so to go with hym by seem to hygh Frese about the myddes of August next after there he sayd he wolde â—ary for them for he wolde go thyder before to moue the holanders and zelanders to serue hym in lyke maner Than these sayd knyghtes and esquyers of Haynalt without any contradictyon acorded to his desyre promysinge to do hym seruyce as his trewe subgiettes whiche they fulfylled in dede and dyligently prepared for the same so that by the begynnyng of the moneth of August in the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and syxtene they were all redy aparelled and assembled by companies at Anners there to take the water and fro thence to Encuse where the hole assemble shulde mete ¶ Nowe whyle this assemble was thus made in Haynalte it were to be demaunded if the ladyes and gentle women and other were ioyouse of this iourney We ought to say naye for than they sawe their fathers their bretherne their vncles their husbandes and their louers and frendes departe to that peryllous warre for some of them knewe well howe that in tyme paste the haynoways wente with their lorde in to Frese and neuer retourned agayne wherfore they feared leste it shulde hap so than to these as it dyd on their predecessours The duchesse of Brabant had defended all men in the countrey of Brabant no man to be so hardy to go oute of the countrey in that iourney The ladyes and gentlewomen of Haynalt desyred often tymes their frendes and louers to leaue that iourney but they coulde nat lette the mater howe be it they were sore displeased in their myndes with the basterde of Vertayne Fierebrase for they said he was one of the chyefe setters on of that busynesse Thus after that the duke Aubert and Guillyam his sonne had herde the aunswere of his men of Haynalte than he went in to zelande shewynge them his busynesse and they assented to his request by the chiefe settynge on of
Turkey whan he sawe the batayle loste he yelded hym selfe and the Sarazyns who are couetous of golde and syluer toke and saued hym Also a lquyer of Tornasys called Iaques du Fay who had before serued the kynge of Tartary called Tauburyn as soone as this Iaques knewe that the frenche men came to make warre in Turkey he toke leaue of the kynge of Tartary and departed and was on the sayd felde and taken prisoner by the kyng of Tartaries men who were there in the ayde of Lamorabaquy for kynge Tauburyn of Tartary had sent to hym great nombre of men of warre THe frenchmen were so richely arayed that they semed lyke kynges wherby they were taken and their lyues saued for sarazyns turkes are couetous they trusted to haue great raunsomes of these that were taken and reputed them greater lordes than they were Sir Iohan of Burgoyn erle of Neuers was taken prisoner In lykewyse were the erles of Ewe and de la Marche the lorde Coucy syr Henry of Bare syr Guy de la Tremoyle Bouciquant and dyuers other And syr Philyp of Bare syr Iohan of Vyen Willyam of Tremoyle and his sonne slayne and dyuers other This batayle endured thre houres fyghtynge and the kinge of Hungery lost all his baggage and all his plate and iowelles and was gladde to saue hym selfe but with seuen persons with him in a lytell barge of the Rodes els he had been taken or slayne without recouery There were mo men slayne in the chase than in the batayle and many drowned happy was he that might scape by any maner of meanes WHan this dyscomfyture was doone and passed and that the turkes suche as were sent thyder by the Sowdan were withdrawen in to their lodginges whiche was in to tentes and pauylyons that they had conquered whiche they founde well replenysshed with wyne and meate redy dressed wherwith they refresshed them and made ioy and reuell lyke suche people as had ateygned vyctorye on their enemyes Than Lamorabaquy with a greate nombre of mynstrelles acordyng to the vsage of their countrey came to the kynge of Hungeryes chefe tent whiche was goodly aparelled and hanged with riche stuffe and there he toke great pleasure and glorifyed in his herte of the wynnyng of that iourney and shanked their god acordynge to their lawe Than he vnarmed hym and to refresshe hym he sate downe on a tapyte of sylke and caused all his great lordes to come to him to iangle and to talke with them He made as great myrthe as myght be and sayd howe he wolde shortely with great puyssaunce passe in to the realme of Hungery and cōquere the countrey and after other countreys vpon the crysten men and to bringe them to his obeysaunce for he sayd he was content that euery man shulde lyue after their owne lawes he desyred nothynge but the signory but he sayd he wolde reygne lyke Alysaunder of Masydone who was twelue yere kynge of all the worlde of whose lynage he sayde he was dyscended All that herde him agreed to his sayenge Than he madethre cōmaundemētes The fyrst was that who so euer had any prisoner crysten to bringe hym forthe the seconde daye after in to his presence the seconde was that all the deed bodyes shulde be vysyted and sertched and such as were likely to be noble men to be layde aparte by them selfe in their raymentes tyll he came thyder hym selfe for he sayd he wolde se them The thyrde was to enquyre iustely if the kyng of Hungery were deed or a lyue All was done as he cōmaunded WHan Lamorabaquy had well refresshed hym than to passe the tyme he went to the place where the felde was to se the deed bodyes for it was shewed hym that he had many of this men slayne and that the batayle had cost hym greatly of the which he had great marueyle and coulde nat byleue it Than he mounted on his horse and a great nombre with him he had with hym two of his bretherne called Basaache and Surbasaach as some people sayd but he wolde nat be knowen of them for he sayd he had no bretherne Whan he came to the place where the batayle was he founde it of trouthe that there were many deed and slayne he sawe that for one crysten man deed he founde .xxx. turkes slayne wherwith he was marueylously dyspleased and openly sayde Here hath been a cruell batayle and marueyloussly defended of the crysten men but I shal make them that be a lyue to bye it derely Than the kynge went to his lodgynge and so passed that nyght in great furour of hert and in the mornyng or he was vp moche people came to his tente to knowe what they shulde do with the chrysten prisoners the renome ranne that they shulde all be put to dethe without mercy Lamorabaquy for all his dyspleasure ordeyned that suche crysten men as were in the batayle in great a ray and lykely to be great men shulde be all sette togyther in one parte for it was shewed hym that they myght well pay great raunsomes Also there were dyuers sarazyns and panyms of Perce of Tartary of Arabye and suryens that had many prisoners by whome they thought to haue great aduauntage as they had in dede they hyd them out of the way so that they came nat to knowledge Amonge other syr Iaques of Helley was brought before Lamorabaquy he that had him durst nat hyde hym no lenger Syr Iaques de Helley was beknowen with some of the kynges seruaūtes who toke hym fro them that had him whiche was happy for hym as ye shall here after for many crysten men were afterwarde cruelly slayne and put to dethe Kynge Basaach had cōmaunded to enquyre whiche were the greatest of the crysten men and that they shulde be set a syde to the entent to saue their lyues So they were tryed out and set a parte Fyrst the lorde Iohan of Burgoyne Erle of Neuers who was chiefe aboue all other and than syr Phylyppe of Arthoys erle of Ewe the erle of Marche the lorde Coucy syr Henry of Bare syr Guy of Tremoyle and other to the nombre of eyght persones And Lamorabaquy went to se and to speke with them and beheld them a longe seasone and he coniured these lordes by their faythe and lawe to saye the trouthe if they were the persones that they named them selfe for and they sayde ye And yet to knowe the more certaynte he sente to them the frenche knyght syr Iaques of Helley to knowe them for he had serued Lamorabaquy before therfore he had his lyfe graūted hym He was demaunded if he knewe the frenche knyghtes prysoners He aunswered and said I thynke if Ise them I shall knowe them Than he was cōmaunded to go and auewe theym and to shewe playnely their names He dyd as he was cōmaūded and whan he came to them he shewed them his aduenture and howe he was sente thyder to knowe surely their names Than they sayde Ah syr Iaques ye knowe vs
the see and entred in to the realme of Fraunce fro Calayesê and so wente a longe in to the realme and fouÌ„de none to with stande me nor none that durst fyght with me in lyke wyse so dyd syr Robert Canoll and sir Hugh Caurell and Thomas of GrauÌ„tsome and syr Phylyppe Gyssarde and yet they had nat the nombre that I had with me and yet they were before Parys and demaunded batayle of the frenche kynge but they coulde neuer be aunswered nor founde any person that sayd any thyng to them and so they rode into Bretayne and so a longe through the realme of Fraunce fro Calais to Burdeaux without hauynge of any batayle or rencountre but I thynke surely who so wolde nowe make any suche iourney they shulde be fought with all for he that calleth hym selfe kynge in Fraunce is yonge hote and of great corage and enterprise he wolde surely fight what ende so euer fell therof and that is the thynge we desyre for we loue nothynge so well as to haue batayle for without it be by batayle and victory vpon the frenche men who be ryche els we shall haue no recouery but suffre with the losse as we haue done euer sythe my nephewe was kyng of Englande This thyng can nat longe endure in this estate but at laste the realme of Englande shall perceyue the mater repente it for the kyng taketh and shall take and reyse great tayles of the marchauntes wherwith they be nat content and yet they can nat tell where the good becometh Thus the kynge enpouereth the realme of Englande and gyueth to one and other largely and there as it is but yuell bestowed and his people vyeth the bargayne whiche shortely wyll growe to a rebellyon within the realme for the people begyn to clater and to murmure therat sayeng howe they wyll no leÌ„ger suffre nor beare it he sayeth to stoppe the peoples rumure that the trewce ones concluded bytwene him Fraunce that than he wyll make a voyage in to Irelande and enploye there his men of armes and archers and there he hath ben but with a small conquest for IrelaÌ„de is no lande of great conquest nor profyte the people they are but rude and yuell and a right poore countrey and inhabytable and looke what is wonne there in one yere is loste in another Laquynay Laquynay quod the duke all that I haue sayde is of trouth THus the duke of Gloucestre deuysed with his knyght with suche wordes and other as it was well knowen after He hated the kynge and coulde speke no good worde of him and though he were with his brother the duke of LaÌ„castre as one of the greatest rulers of the Realme he toke no care therof And whan the kyng dyd sende for him he wolde come at his pleasure and sometyme nat a whyt And whan he came to the kynge he wolde be the laste shulde come and the first that wolde departe and in counsayle what he had ones sayd of his opynion he wolde haue it taken and accepted els he wolde be displeased and somtyme take his leaue and departe to his maner in Essex called Plasshey there was his chiefe abydynge This duke was a great prince and might well spende by yere a threscore thousande ducates he was duke of Gloucestre erle of Essex and of Buckingham and constable of Englande He was of so marueylous condycyons that the kynge douted hym more than any other of his vncles for in his wordes he wolde nat spare nor forbeare the kynge The kynge alwayes was humble and meke to hym and whatsoeuer he wolde demaunde the kynge wolde graunte it hym This duke had caused in EnglaÌ„de to be done many cruell and hasty iugementes for he had caused to be beheeded withoute tytell of any good reasone that noble knyght syr Symon Burle and dyuers other of the kynges counsayle and chased out of Englande the archebysshop of yorke and the duke of Irelande bycause they were so nygh of the kinges counsayle and layde to their charge that they had counsayled the kynge wronge and ledde hym as they lyst and had spente the reuenewes of Englande at their pleasures This duke had two bretherne the duke of Lancastre and the duke of yorke These two were euer about the kynge wherat this duke of Gloucestre hadde great enuy wolde say to dyuers as to suche as he trusted as Robert bysshop of London and to other whan they came to him to Plasshey Frendes my two bretherne ouerchargeth greatly the kynges house it were better they were at home at their owne houses this duke by subtyle couerte wayes drewe to his acorde the londoners for he thought if he might be sure of them he shulde sone haue all the rest of the realme to his acorde This duke had a nephue sonne to the doughter of his elder brother called Lyonell duke of Clarence whiche doughter was maryed into Lombardy to the sonne of syr Galeas duke of Myllayne This duke Lyonell dyed in the cytie of Aste in Piemounte So this duke of Gloucestre wolde gladly haue sene his nephue sonne to the doughter of the duke of Clarence called Iohan erle of Marche to haue ben kynge of Englande and to haue had his nephue kynge Rycharde deposed for he sayd howe the kynge was nat worthy to holde nor to gouerne the realme of Englande This he wolde say to them that he trusted and he dyd so moch that he caused the erle of Marche to come to his house and than and there he dyscouered to hym all his entent and secretnesse and sayde howe he had determyned to make hym kynge of Englande and kyng Richarde to be put downe and his wyfe also and to be kept in prison dutynge their lyues and so he desyred effectuously the erle to accept his offre and good wyll sayenge howe he wolde do the beste he coulde to bringe it aboute and that he had of his acorde and alyaunce the erle of Arundell and therle of Warwyke and dyuers other prelates and lordes of Englande The erle of Marche was sore abasshed whan he herde the duke his vncle speke suche wordes howe be it lyke a yonge man he dissymuled the mater and aunswered wysely to th entent to please the duke and said howe he wold be glad to be ruled as he wolde haue hym but he sayd he wolde be well aduysed or he accepted suche promisse to sone and wolde take therin aduyse and delyberacyon And whan the duke of Gloucestre sawe the maner of the erle than he desyred him to kepe the mater secrete The erle answered so he wolde do Than therle departed as sone as he coude and so wente in to Irelande to his herytage and after he wolde neuer entende to the dukes treatie but alwayes excused him selfe wysely yet euer he kept the mater secrete for he sawe well the conclusyon shulde nat be good IT was sayd howe the duke of Gloucestre sought all the wayes he coude to set a trouble in Englande and to styrre the
he hadde dyned and was aboute to haue wasshen his handes There came in to the chambre foure men and caste sodaynlye a towell aboute the dukes necke two at the one ende and two at the other and drewe so sore that he fell to the Erthe and so they strangled hym and closed his eyen whan he was deed they dispoyled hym and bare hym to his beed and layde hym bytwene the shetes all naked and his heed on a softe pyllowe and couered with clothes furred And than they yssued out of the chambre in to the hall well determyned what they wolde saye and sayde openly Howe a palueysye hadde taken the duke of Gloucestre the same night sodaynly and so dyed These wordes anon were abrode in the towne of Calais Some beleued theym and some natte Within two dayes that the duke was thus deed the erle marshall appareled hym selfe in blacke bycause he was his nere cosyn and were many other knyghtes and squyers that were in Calays His dethe was sooner knowen in Fraunce and in Flaunders than in EnglaÌ„d The Frenche men were gladde therof For there was a coÌ„mon brute that there shulde be no good peace bytwene Fraunce and Englande as long as he lyued And in all treaties bytwene FrauÌ„ce and Englande he was euermore harder and obstynaier thanÌ„e any other of his bretherne wherfore they cared nat for his dethe In lykewise many men in Englande bothe knyghtes squyers and other officers of the kynges who were in feare of hym bycause of his crueltie All suche were gladde of his dethe They toke to recorde his cruell dedes by the duke of IrelaÌ„de whom he had exyled out of Englande Also of the deth of that valyant knight sir Symon Burle and of sir Robert Triuylien sir Nicholas Bramble sir Iohan Standysshe dyuers other The dukes dethe was but lytell regarded in Englande excepte but with suche as were of his opinyon Thus this duke dyed in Calais his body was enbaumed and seared in leed and couered and so sente by See in to Englande And the Shyppe that caryed hym arryued at the Castell of Hadley vpon Thamyse syde and fro thens caryed by chariot symply to his owne place at Plasshey and there buryed in the Churche Whiche the sayde duke hadde founded in the honoure of the hooly Trynite wherin were twelue Chanonnes to synge diuyne seruyce YE maye well knowe that the duchesse of Gloucestre and Affren his sonne and his two susters were sore discoÌ„fyted whan they sawe the duke brought thyther deed The duchesse had double sorowe for Richarde erle of Arundell her vncle was be heeded openly by the kynges coÌ„maundemeÌ„t in Chepesyde there was no lorde durst speke to the contrary the kynge beyng presente at the same iustyce doynge It was done by the erle Marshall who hadde to wyfe the doughter of the sayde erle of Arundell and yet he bounde his eyen hym selfe The erle of Warwyke was in great daunger to be beheeded but the erle of Salisbury who was in the kynges fauour desyred the kynge for his lyfe and so dyde dyuers other barons prelates in Englande The kynge enclyned to their requestes so that he myght be banysshed and putte in suche a place as he shulde natte come fro for the kyng wolde nat clerely forgyue hym He sayde he had well deserued to dye bycause he was of counsayle with the duke of Gloucestre and with the erle of Arundell to haue brokeÌ„ the peace and truce taken bitwene Fraunce Englande For the whiche artycle the kyng sayd they had deserued to dye for the peace was taken bytwene the ê‘ties on suche coÌ„dycion that who so euer dyde breake it shulde be worthy to dye The erle of Salisbury who had ben the erle of Warwykes companyon dyuers tymes in excusyng of him said Howe he was an olde man and was desyred by the duke of Gloucestre by his fayre wordes Wherfore he sayd that he dyde was natte of his owne mocyon but by theirs Affyrming howe there was neuer none of the Beauchampes that euer dyd trayson agaynst the crowne of Englande Thus the erle of Warwyke for pytie was respyted fro dethe He was banysshed in to the ysle of Wyght And it was sayde to hym Erle of Warwyke ye haue deserued to dye as well as the erle of Arundell but for the great seruyce that ye haue done in tyme past to kynge Edwarde and to the prince his sonne and to the crowne of Englande aswell on this syde the see as byonde hath done you great ayde for the kyng hath pyte on you and hath grauÌ„ted you your lyfe But it is ordayned by iudgement that ye shall go in to the ysle of Wight and lyue there as longe as ye can and shall haue suffycient of your owne to maynteyne there your estate soberly but ye maye neuer departe thens The erle toke this punysshement a worthe and thaÌ„ked the kyng and his counsayle for sauyng of his lyfe and so made hym redy to go thyder at the daye apoynted In the whiche ysle was space sufficient for a lorde to kepe his estate enuyroned with the See Thus passed forthe these Iudgementes in Englande at that season whiche multiplyed dayly worse worse as ye shall here after WHan the dethe of the duke of gloucestre was knoweÌ„ by the dukes of Lancastre and of yorke incoÌ„tinent they knewe well that the kynge their nephue had caused hym to be slayne and murdered at Calays As than these two dukes were nat toguyder eche of theÌ„ were at their owne plates They wrote eche to other to knowe what were best to do and so they came to London For they knewe well that the londoners were nat content with the dethe of the duke their brother Whan they mette there toguyder they tooke couÌ„sayle and sayd Suche dedes ought nat to be suffred as to putte to dethe so hyghe a priÌ„ce as was their brother for ydell wordes and false reportes For they sayd though he spake oftentymes of the breakyng of the peace yet he neuer brake it And bytwene sayenge and doyng is great difference for by reason of wordes he ought nat to deserue dethe by suche cruell punycion these two dukes were in the case to haue put all Englande to great trouble and there were ynowe redy to counsayle them therto and specially them of the erle of Arundelles lynage and of the erle of Staffordes whiche was a great kynred in Englande The kyng as than was at ElthaÌ„ and had sente for all suche as helde of hym in chiefe And he had redy assembled toguyder about London in Kent and Essexe mo than ten thousande archers And sir Iohan Hollande his brother was with hym and therle Marshall and the erle of Salisbury and a great nombre of lordes and knyghtes the kyng sent to theÌ„ of London that they shulde nat receyue the duke of Lancastre They answered and sayd They knewe no cause that the duke hadde done why they shulde refuce hym The duke of Lancastre was at LoÌ„don and
the erle of Derby his sonne and also the duke of yorke and his sonne Iohan erle of Rutlande The kyng loued the erle of Rutlande beyonde measure who dissymuled the dethe of his vncle the duke of Gloucestre shewed howe he wolde gladly se a good peace bytwene the parties said howe he knew well that his vncle dyde wronge oftentymes agaynst the kynge The londoners in lykewyse consydred the great myschiefe that myght fall in Englande by the discencyon bytwene the kynges vncles the kyng and their alyaunces Also they consydred syth the myschefe was fallen of the duke of Gloucestres dethe that there was no recouery therin they knewe well it was bycause the duke of Gloucestre had been to lauesse of his tonge and wolde haue styrred the realme to haue broken the trewce bytwene Englande and Fraunce Wherfore suche as were wyse men in the cytie dissymuled the mater and thought it was no tyme to a mende it as than they feared the puyssaūce of Fraunce and lesynge of their marchaundyse Than beganne to treate and went as a meane bytwene the king and the duke of Lancastre who was in many imagynacions for the dethe of his brother troubled him sore Also he sawe howe his nephue kynge Rycharde was alyed by mariage with the frenche kyng Also the duke of Lancastre had .ii. of his doughters out of the lande one quene of Spayne a nother quene of Portugale by whome he thought he shulde haue great ayde if he made warre agaynst his nephue kynge Rycharde All thynges consydred the duke chaunged his courage at the desyre of the londoners and of other prelates of Englande who were meane bytwene the kyng and hym and by their meanes the kynge was agreed with the duke and peace made with that the kinge promysed fro thens forwarde to be gouerned by the duke of Lancastre and to do nothyng but by his counsayle and aduyse whiche promesse the kynge nothynge fulfylled but was counsayled by yonge and wylde coūsayle whiche was to his hurte and great dōmage as ye shall here after in this hystory THus the kyng of Englande had peace with his vncles bycause of the dethe of the duke of Gloucestre Than he beganne to reygne more fiersly than he dyd before The kynge went and lay in Essex where as the duke of Gloucestre had the chiefe rule whiche ought to haue pertaygned to Affcen his sonne and heyre but the kynge toke all for the ordynaunce in Englande was the kynge to haue the warde of all herytours chyldren orphelyns vnder the age of .xxi. yeres and than they to haue their herytages Thus the kinge tooke the wardeshyppe of his cosyn the duke of Gloucestres herytour and the kynge toke the possession profyte of all the dukes lande and kepte the chylde with hym And the duchesse of Gloucestre and her two doughters were with the quene The duke of Gloucestr◠by enherytaunce was constable of Englande the kynge toke that offyce fro the right heyre and gaue it to his cosyn the erle of Rutlande The kynge than kept greate state than euer he dyd nor there had nat ben no kynge before in Englande that spente so moche yerely by a hundred thousande nobles as he dyd In lyke wyse the kynge had with hym the heyre of the erle of Arundell who was beheeded at London And bycause a knyght that was belongyng to the duke of Gloucestre called Cerbe spake at a tyme certayne wordes agaynst the kynge and his counsayle he was taken and beheeded Syr Iohan of Quynghay was in great parell but whan he sawe that the maters went so dyuersely as they dyd he dyssymuled as moch as he might and departed fro the duchesse of Gloucestres house and wente and dwelt in other places ¶ In those dayes there was none so great in Englande that durst speake agaynst any thynge that the kyng dyd or wolde do He had counsayle mete for his appetyte who exhorted hym to do what he lyst The kynge kept styll in his wages ten thousande archers night and day that wayted on him for he reputed himselfe nat parfytely sure of his vncles nor of the lygnage of Arundell ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Of the great assemble that was made in the cytie of Reyns as well by the emperour as of the realme of Fraūce on the state of holy churche Cap. CC.xxvii THe same seasone there was a great assēble of gret lordes in the cytie of Reynes what of lordes of the empyre and of Fraunce to the entent to bring the churche to a peace and reste for the frenche kynge dyd so moche that at his request his cosyn the kynge of Almayne came to the cytie of Reynes with his counsayle and bycause they wolde nat haue it brewted that they assembled there all onely for the mater by twent the popes the one at Rome and the other at Auygnon they made it to be noysed that they came thyder to treate for a maryage of the sonne of the marques of Blācquebourge with the doughter of the duke of Orlyaunce This Marques was brother to the kynge of Almayne The frenche kyng lay at the archebysshoppes palayes and there was with hym the dukes of Orlyaūce Berrey and Burbon therle of saynt Powle and dyuers other hygh barones and prelates of Fraunce And whan the kinge of Almayne entred in to the cytie all the lordes and prelates and kynge Charles of Nauer who was in lykewyse there went to mete with hym and receyued hym honourably Fyrste they brought hym to our lady churche and after in to the abbey of saynt Remy there the kynge of Almayne laye and his lordes aboute hym And it was ordeyned by the frenche kinge that what so euer the kynge of Almayne spent shulde be at the frenche kynges cost The almayns had euery day delyuered theym ten tonne of herynge for it was in Lent tyme and eyght hundred carpes besyde other fysshes whiche was a great charge WHan the kyng of Almayne came first to the frenche kynge all the lordes went for hym to saynt Remy and so brought him to the kynges palays Whan these two kynges mette they made great honoure eche to other and great reuerence and specyally the frenche kynge for almayns of nature are rude and grose manered without it be to take their profyte therto they be experte and redy ynough All the lordes of Fraunce and of Almayne toke acquayntaunce eche with other with louyng wordes and countinaunce and the frenche kynge made the kynge of Almayne and his company a great dyner at one table there sate fyrst the patryarke of Iherusalem than the king of Almayne the frenche kynge and the kynge of Nauer there sate no mo at that table At the other tables sate the lordes and prelates of Almayne No lorde of Fraūce sate that day but sarued To the kynges borde the meate was brought by the dukes of Berrey of Burbone the erle of saynt Powle and by other great lordes of Fraūce The duke of Orlyaūce set euery man
whanÌ„e euery thynge is agreed and at peace thanÌ„e we maye well speke treate of maryage but fyrst ye must take possession in the duchy of Lancastre for that is the vsage in Fraunce and in dyuers countreis on this syde the See That if a lorde shall marry by the consent of his soueraygne lorde he must endowe his wyfe and therwith they had spyces and wyne and cessed of that coÌ„munycacion and euery man departed to their owne lodgynges WHan the erle of Derby was coÌ„e to his lodgyng he was sore displeased and nat without a cause Whan he who was reputed one of the trewest knyghtes of the worlde in the preseÌ„ce of the frenche kyng who loued hym well had shewed him many curtesies shuld be reputed as a traytour and that those wordes shulde coÌ„e out of Englande and brought by the erle of Salisburye He was therwith in a great malencoly his counsayle apeased hym as well as they coude sayd Sir he that wyll lyue in this worlde must endure somtyme trouble Confort you for this tyme and be pacient and parauenture herafter ye shall haue great ioye and glorie And sir of al the lordê on this syde the see the frenche kyng loueth you best and we se well he wolde enploye his payne to briÌ„ge you to ioye and sir ye ought to gyue him and his vncles great thaÌ„ke in that they kept this mater secrete tyll the erle of Salisbury was deê‘ted yea sirs quod the erle I thynke it had ben better it had ben shewed me in his presence that I myght haue made a sufficieÌ„t excuse before that kyng and all the lordes thus I shall abyde styll in blame tyll the mater be otherwyse declared Sir quod they all trespasses can nat be amended at the fyrst daye Sir suffre let the tyme ryn we beleue your busynesse in Englande dothe better than ye be ware of The loue that is in the hertes of the people in Englande towardes you with their good prayers by the grace of god shall shortely delyuer you out of all daungers This they sayd to recoÌ„fort their lorde who was sore disconforted and their sayeng was soner trewe than they were ware of ANone it was knowen in Englande howe therle of Salisbury had ben in FrauÌ„ce with the frenche kynge his vncles and borne letters thyder conteynyng howe the erle of Derby was falsely ê‘iured and a traytour Of the whiche dyuers noble men and prelates were sore troubled and were nothynge contente with the erle of Salisbury and said generally that he was soore to blame to take on hym the charge to beare in to Fraunce any suche wordes vpon as trewe a man as lyued A daye wyll come that he shall repent the tyme that euer he spake the worde ye maye well knowe the Londoners were greatly displeased and murmured agaynst the kyng and his counsayle sayd A geÌ„tyll knight erle of Derby great enuy is there agaynst you It is nat suffycient for the kynge and his counsayle to driue you out of the realme but also to accuse you of trayson to putte you to the more shame rebuke Well euery thynge muste haue his tourne Alas quod the people What faulte or trespasse hath your children done that the kynge taketh thus awaye fro theÌ„ their herytage whiche ought to be theirs by ryght successyon This thynge can nat longe abyde in this case without chaunge nor we can nat suffre it Thus anone after the retourne of the erle of Salisbury out of Fraunce kyng Richarde caused a iustes to be cryed and publysshed throughe out his realme to Scotlande to be at Wynsore of .xl. knyghtes and xl squyers agaynst all coÌ„mers And they to be aparelled in grene with a whyte faucon the quene to be there well acoÌ„panied 〈◊〉 a dyes damosels This feest thus holden the quene beyng there iÌ„ gret neblenes but there were but fewe lordes or noble men for mo thaÌ„ .ii. ê‘tes of the lordes knightes other of the realme of Englande had that kyng in suche hatered what for the banysshyng of the erle of Derby and the iniuryes that he had done to his chyldren and for the dethe of the duke of Gloucestre who was slayne in the castell of Calais and for the dethe of the erle of AruÌ„dell who was beheeded at LoÌ„don The kynred of these lordes came nat to this feest nor but fewe other And at the same feest the kynge ordayned to go in to Irelande to enploy his men in that voyage and so he departed and lefte the Quene with her trayne styll at Wyndsore and the kynge rode to Bristowe and there made all his prouysion and he had ten thousande knightes and squiers and ten thousande archers WhanÌ„e the Londoners knewe that the kyng was goyng in that voyage they began to murmure and said amonge themselfe Nowe gothe Richarde of Burdeaux the waye to Bristowe and so in to yrelande whiche wyll be to his distruction He shall neuer retourne agayne with ioye no more than dyde kynge Edwarde the seconde his great grauntfather who was folysshely gouerned by to moche beleuyng of the SpeÌ„sers In lykewise Rycharde of Burdeaulx hath belued so moche yuell counsayle that it can nat be hydden nor suffred any lengar ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe kynge Richarde ordayned to go in to the marchesse of Irelande Cap. CC.xxxvii THere were many knightes and squyers in the kynges company that shulde go with hym in to IrelaÌ„de that were nat coÌ„tent with hym and wente in maner with an yuell wyll sayd oftentymes one to another Our kynge gouerneth hym selfe folisshely and beleueth yuell counsayle Suche wordes were so multiplyed that the lorde Henry Percy and sir Henry his sonÌ„e spake certayne wordes whiche came to the kynges knowlege and to his counsayle and it was sayd to the kyng Sir the wordes ought nat to be suffred that the erle of Northumberlande and his sonÌ„e hath spoken for it is to sette your subiettes agaiÌ„st you It must behoue you to correcte all these rebelles one after another wherby they that be greattest shall doute you and take ensample That is trewe quod the kyng but than what is beste to do Sir quod they they be nat here with you but they ought to come whan they become call them before you and than by the erle of Salisbury and by some other as it shall please you lette it be rehersed to them the yuell wordes that they haue spoken against you and your couÌ„sayle ThaÌ„ shall you here what answere they wyll make and thervpon ye maye taken aduyse wheder ye wyll correcte them by prison or other wyse Well sirs quod the kynge ye say well this shal be done The erle of Northumberlande and his sonÌ„e had good frendes in that armye so that some of them knewe the kynges entent And they sent suche worde to the erle and to his sonne that they shulde natte come in the kynges preseÌ„ce nor to go in that iourney For they hadde worde that if they dyde it
thyder where as the erle of Derby was at a place called vyncetour besyde Parys Whan the erle of Derby sawe the bysshop of Caunterbury cōmynge to him his herte and spyrites reioysed and so dyd all suche as were aboute him for he thought well than to here some newes oute of Englande The bysshoppe shewed nat as than the cause of his cōmynge but dissymuled bycause euery man shuld nat knowe his entent and therfore to couer his busynesse he sayd openly he was come on pylgrymage to saynt Mors. All suche as were aboute the erle thought it had ben so Whan the bysshop sawe his tyme he toke a parte the erle of Derby alone in to a chambre and closed the dore to them Than the bysshop shewed the erle the debylyte of the realme of Englande and of the desolacyon therof and howe iustyce had no place to reygne for faute of a good kinge and howe certayne valyaunt men and prelates with the londoners and other ingenerall had deuised a remedy and for that cause he was sente thyder to hym to desyre him to retourne in to Englande and they wolde make hym kynge bycause that Rycharde of Burdeaulx had doone and consented to be done so many yuell dedes that all the people sorowed it and are redy to ryse agaynst hym and therfore syr nowe is the tyme or neuer for you to seke for your delyueraūce and profyte and for the welth of your chyldren for if ye entende nat to helpe your selfe and theym also none other wyll for Rycharde of Burdeaux gyueth to them of his chambre to other dayly parte of your enherytaūce and of your chyldrens of the whiche many valyaunt men and the londoners were sore dyspleased therwith if they coude amended it but they durst neuer speke tyll nowe But bycause the kynge hath yuell vsed hym selfe agaynst you and agaynst your vncle the duke of Gloucestre who was taken by nyght and conueyed to Calays and there murdered and the erle of Arundell beheeded without tytell of any good reason and the erle of Warwyke exyled and you banysshed and thus the realme of Englande is nere dysheryted of all noble men by whome the realme shulde be susteyned And also the kynge hath banysshed the erle of Northumberlande and the lorde Percy his sonne bycause they spake somewhat agaynst the kynges gouernaunce and his counsayle Thus they dayly encrease in doynge yuell and none dare speke agaynst it great parte of the realme haue pytie therof and therfore they desyre you to slepe no lenger but to take leaue of that frenche kynge and retourne in to Englande there shall you be receyued with ioy and all this that I haue sayd they wyll fyrmely vpholde for they desyre to haue none other kynge but you ye are so well beloued in the realme WHan the erle had herde the bysshops wordes at length he was nat hasty in gyuenge of aunswere but leaned out at a wyndowe lokynge downe in to a gardeyne and studyed a certayne space and had many imagynacions at last he tourned hym to the archebysshop and sayd Syr your wordes causeth me to study Lothe I wolde be to take on me this enterprise and lothe I wolde be to leaue it for I knowe well that it wyll be longe or I canne retourne in to Englande without it be by the same meanes as ye haue declared Lothe I wolde be to enclyne to your wordes for the Frenche kynge here and the frenchmen do to me and haue done wyll do if I lyst here to tary all the honour and curtesye that I canne desyre And if so be by reasone of your wordes and promesse of the londoners my good frendes that I shulde apply and agree to their wylles and desyre and that therby kynge Rycharde shulde be taken and dystroyed I shulde in that case beare great blame wherof I wolde be tyght lothe if any other meanes might be founde Sir quod the bysshoppe I am sent hyther to you in hope of all goodnesse call to you your counsayle and shewe them what I haue sayd and I shall also shewe them the cause of my cōmynge and I thynke they wyll nat counsayle you to the contrary That shall I do quod the erle for suche a weyghty mater requyreth counsayle Than the erle called to hym his counsayle suche as he trusted best Whan they were before hym than the erle caused the bysshop to shewe them all the mater and the cause of his commynge thyder Than the erle demaūded counsayle what was beste for hym to do They all aunswered with one voyce syr god hathe taken pytie of you howe so euer ye do refuse nat this bargayne for ye shal neuer haue a better and surely who so euer wyll enquyre of your lygnage and fro whence ye dyscended ye are of the ryght stocke and generacyon of saynt Edwarde somtyme kynge of Englande syr thanke the londoners your good frendes who wyll helpe to delyuer you out of daunger and haue pytie on your chyldren and of the desolacyon of the realme of Englande and syr remembre well what wrōges and iniuryes this Rycharde of Burdeaux hath done to you and dothe dayly for whan the maryage bytwene you and the countesse of Ewe was nere at a poynte dyd nat the erle of Salysbury breke it and called you traytoure in the presence of the frenche kynge and other lordes whiche wordes are nat to be pardoned but ye ought to desyre howe to be reuenged Sir if ye wyll nat helpe yourselfe who shulde helpe you syr take good aduyse herin ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the erle of Derby toke leaue of the frenche kyng and went to his cosyn the duke of Bretaygne Cap. CC.xxxix WHanne the erle herde his coūsaylours so ernestly counsayle him his spyrites opened and sayd Syrs I wyll do as ye wyll haue me for to haue your counsayle was the entente that I sent for you Syr quod they ye saye well and syr we counsayle you trewly to our power and as the matter requyreth Than as secretly as they coude they ordeyned for their departure Than it was deuysed howe they might passe the see or any knowledge therof shulde come in to Englande They deuysed that of two wayes they muste take one outher to go into Haynalte and in to Holande and there take the see at Dordright or els to go in to Bretaygne to the duke and there to take the see and so to lande at Plummouth or where as god wolde in Englande All thynges consydred they sayd the best way shulde be by Bretaygne and than they sayd to the erle syr go and take your leaue of the frenche kynge and thanke hym of the curtesy that he hath shewed vnto you and take leaue of the duke of Orlyance and of the kynges vncles and other and thanke theym all of the good chere they haue made you and desyre of the kinge to haue conducte to go in to Bretaygne sayenge that ye wyll go se the duke your cosyn to tary there a
Englysshe men for he had ben dyuers tymes amonge them Thanne sir Wyllyam of Haynaulte purposed whyle he made his prouisyon to go in to Hollande to se his father Auberte erle of Heynaulte Hollande and zelande to the entente to speke with hym and to take leaue to go in to Englande He deê“ted fro Quesnoy in Haynault and rode tyll he came to Haye in Hollande where the erle his father was at that tyme. and there he shewed his father his purpose that he was in to go in to Englande to se the countrey his cosyns whom he had neuer sene Than therle his father answered and sayd Wyllyam my fayre son ye haue nothyng to do in EnglaÌ„de for nowe ye be by couenaunt of maryage alyed to the realme of Fraunce and your suster to be maryed to the duke of Burgoyne wherfore ye nede nat to seke none other alyaunce Dere father quod he I wyll nat go in to Englande to make any alyauÌ„ce I do it but to feest and make myrthe with my cosins there whom as yet I neuer sawe bycause the feest whiche shal be holden at London is publisshed abrode wherfore syth I am signifyed therof shulde nat go thyder it shulde be sayd I were proude presuptuous wher fore in the sauynge of myne honoure I wyll go thider therfore dere father I requyre you agree therto Sonne quod he do as ye lyste but I thynke surely it were better that ye taryed at home Whan the erle of Ostrenaunt sawe that his wordes contented nat his father he wolde speke no more therof but fell in other coÌ„municacion But he thought well ynough what he wolde do and so dayly sent his prouisyon towardes Calais Gomegynes the heraulde was sente in to Englande fro therle of Ostrenaunt to gyue knowlege to kynge Rycharde and to his vncles howe that he wolde come honorably to his feest at London Of those tidynges the kynge and his vncles were ryght ioyouse and gaue to the heraulde great giftes whiche after stode hym in great stede For after in the ende of his dayes he fell blynde I can nat tell if god were displeased with hym or nat in his dayes he lyued marueylously wherfore in his olde dayes and that he hadde loste his syght there were but fewe that were sorte therof Thus the erle of Ostrenaunt departed from Haye in Hollande and toke leaue of his father and so retourned to Quesnoy in Heynaulte to the couÌ„tesse his wyfe THis noble feest wherof I make meÌ„cyon was publysshed and cryed in dyuers places wherby knyghtes squyers and other aduaunsed them selfes to go thyder The erle Walleran of saynt Pole who as than had to his wyfe kyng Richarde of Englandes suster He prepared greatly to go in to Englande and so came to Calys And also the erle Ostrenaunt departed fro Heynaulte well accompanyed with knyghtes and squyers and so passed throughe the countrey of Arthoys and came also to Calis and there he founde the erle of saynt Poule and the shyppes passagers of Douer were there redy and whan the shippes were charged and the wynde good these lordes tooke the see howe be it as it was shewed me and I thynke it true that therle of saynt Poule passed first in to Englande before the erle of Ostrenaunt And whan he came to London he founde there the kyng and his brother in lawe sir Iohan Hollande and other lordes and knyghtes of Englande who receyued hym with great ioye and demauÌ„ded of hym tidynges of the realme of Fraunce He aunswered well wysely Than therle of Ostrenaunt passed ouer on a thursdaye and so caÌ„e to Cauterbury and on the friday he visyted saint Thomas shrine and offred there in the mornyng and laye there all that daye the nexte day rode to Rochester And bycause he had so gret a company and cariages he rode but small iourneys to ease his horse And on the sondaye he rode to dyner to Dertforde after dyuer to London to be at the feest whiche began the same sonday ON the sonday nexte after the feest of saynt Michaell this feest and tryuÌ„phe shulde begyn and that daye to be done in Smythfelde iustes called the chalenge So the same sonday about thre of the clocke at after noone there issued out of the towre of London first threscore coursers apparelled for the Iustes and on euery one a squier of honour ridyng a softe pase Than issued out threscore ladyes of honour mounted on fayre palfreys ridyng on the one syde richely apparelled and euery lady ledde a knight with a cheyne of syluer which knightes were apparelled to iust Thus they cam ridynge a longe the stretes of London with great nombre of trumpettes and other mynstrelles And so came to Smythfelde where the quene of Englande and other ladies and damoselles were redy in chaÌ„bres richely adorned to se the iustes and the king was with the quene And whan the ladyes that ledde the knyghtes were come to the place they were taken downe fro their palfreys they mouÌ„ted vp in to chambres redy aparelled for theÌ„ Than the squiers of honour alighted fro the coursers the knightes in good order mouÌ„ted on them than their helmes were sette on and made redy at all poyntes Than thyder came the erle of saynt Poule nobly accompanyed with knyghtes and squyers all armed with harnesse for the iustes to begynne the feest whiche incontynent beganne and there iusted all knyghtes straungers suche as wolde and hadde leysar and space for the nyght came on Thus these iustes of chaleng began and coÌ„tynued tyll it was night Than knyghtes and ladyes withdrue them selfes the quene was lodged besyde Poules in the bysshoppes palace and there was the supper prepared The same euennynge came therle of Ostrenaunt to the kyng who was nobly receyued ¶ Nowe for these iustes on the sonday For the aunswerer without The erle Walleran of saynt Poule had the price And of the chalengers the erle of Huntyngdon There was goodly dauÌ„syng in the quenes lodgyng in the presence of the kynge and his vncles and other barons of Englande and ladyes and damoselles contynuyng tyll it was daye whiche was tyme for euery persone to drawe to their lodgynges except the kyng and the quene who lay there in the Bysshoppes Palays for there they laye all the feestes and iustes duryng ON the nexte day whiche was mondaye ye myght haue sene in dyuers places of the cytie of London squyers and varlettes goynge aboute with harnesse and doynge of other busynesse of their maisters After noon kynge Richarde came to the place all armed richely apparelled accompanyed with Dukes erles lordes and knyghtes He was one of the inner partie Than the quene well accompanyed with ladyes and damosels came to the place where the iustes shulde be and mounted in to chaÌ„bres and scaffoldes ordayned for theÌ„ Than came in to the felde the erle of Ostrenaunte well accoÌ„panyed with knyghtes of his couÌ„trey and all were redy to iuste Than came the